Complete Robotic Solution Designed in Just One Minute with The RBTX Machine Planner
New online tool from RBTX powered by igus allows users to design robot working environments quickly and without CAD knowledge
Ideally, a customer can decide on a suitable robot quickly. But how do you create the perfect workplace for the new assistant? The Machine Planner on RBTX.com, the online marketplace for Low Cost Robotics, helps with the design of a complete automation solution, from robotics to frames to conveyor belts to grippers to safety systems. Price and delivery time are calculated in real time.
Configuring a new robot workstation is usually a complex undertaking, because there is more to it than just selecting a robot model. An automated production environment also requires the right workplace design which often involves manipulating complex structures in CAD programs. It is time-consuming and stressful. First of all, it is necessary to obtain offers from different suppliers via sales. Then the components must be harmonised. Besides the time it takes, it requires expertise on the part of the customer, who is ultimately responsible for
compatibility and function. It can quickly run to weeks. Small and medium-sized businesses in the trades or manufacturing industry in particular, need this time to invest in their own products. With its Machine Planner on RBTX.com, igus creates a simple solution for quickly configuring robot workstations and machine frames with robotics and conveyor technology. The new free tool is integrated into the RBTX platform, the marketplace for Low Cost Robotics. “Our new online configurator for cost-effective automation solutions makes inexpensive robotics accessible to everyone, because the user does not need any design knowledge. The Machine Planner takes over the engineering and thus combines robotic components correctly. The tool can be called up easily with a browser”, says Alexander Mühlens, Head of igus Low Cost Automation Business Unit. The Machine Planner provides a selection of different machines and application designs. Doors and back panels can be installed with just a few clicks. The size can be individually adjusted. In addition to feed automation such as conveyor belts or spiral bowl conveyors in the work area, the configurator can be used to select robots from the RBTX marketplace, including accessories such as grippers and linear systems. A few clicks and the solution is fully configured within a minute without any CAD drawings or technical clarification. A design library on the platform offers additional guidance. The solution can be adapted to your own individual requirements. Users benefit not only from speed, but also from transparency: at the touch of a button, you receive a cost calculation with the corresponding delivery time. Easy-to-understand instructions allow the customer to assemble the application on site. igus also supplies a CE template.
Quick 3D configuration for individual applications
“I was looking for an individual gluing machine without having to hire an external design engineer for planning and execution. The Machine Planner from igus enabled me to design my gluing machine with just a few clicks”, says Sven Achenbach, CEO of Sigamo GmbH. “The robot is used in production. It guarantees our customers a 100 per cent identical adhesive application on components.” Its application is just one of many possible designs that can be implemented on RBTX with the Machine Planner. Gripping robots for bakeries or pick & place applications in industry: the 3D tool is suitable for a variety of industries in which processes can be automated. With the new configurator, igus is expanding its leading RBTX platform for Low Cost Automation with a new tool in a complete package. Alexander Mühlens sums it up: “Our goal is to make automation possible simply, quickly and cost-effectively. The Machine Planner does just that for the customer.”
ArcelorMittal, Finkernagel, EJOT – How a Sustainability Chain Works
It is obvious that ambitious climate targets can only be achieved by working together. The cooperation between ArcelorMittal, Finkernagel and Ejot is a good example and a premiere for a cooperation between manufacturer, processor and end-product producer to reduce environmental impact: ArcelorMittal Hamburg produces XCarb recycled and renewably produced steel – which has a CO₂ footprint significantly lower than conventionally produced steel – which the wire-drawing company Finkernagel processes further; EJOT, in turn, produces screws from the drawn wire in cold forming, which are ultimately used for batteries in electric cars and for solar panel structures. By using XCarb recycled and renewably produced, the CO₂ savings total 80 percent compared with conventionally produced steel, and the low-carbon emissions steel ultimately benefits the energy transition thanks to its use in solar modules and electric cars. At Finkernagel’s headquarters in Altena, North Rhine-Westphalia, the three companies have now made the cooperation public.
Dr. Uwe Braun, CEO of ArcelorMittal Hamburg: “Thanks to this cooperation, we are creating a special value chain that contributes to the climate goals of the companies involved. Once again we see that low carbon-emissions steel is vital for building the infrastructure we need for the transition to carbon neutrality. After all, solar modules, efficient electric cars or wind turbines cannot be made without steel. We are already able to produce very low-carbon and, in a few years, climate-neutral steel. For us, it’s about doing our homework and continuously working on such promising projects in cooperation with our customers.”
Timo Finkernagel, Managing Director of Finkernagel: “Through our trials, we know that the XCarb recycled and renewably produced steel can be processed excellently and has no quality disadvantages compared to conventional steel. The fact that the material properties are also identical in a direct comparison is particularly pleasing. We are proud to be able to offer XCarb recycled and renewably produced to our customers and are confident that it will be well received in the market.”
Markus Rathmann, Chief Supply Chain Officer of the EJOT Group: “The entry into the processing of CO₂-reduced steel marks an important step for the EJOT Group on the way to climate neutrality, especially since the largest part of the CO₂ emissions is in our preliminary products (Scope 3). We will successively expand the use of CO₂-reduced steel.”
Since 2021, the world’s leading steel producer ArcelorMittal has been bundling all efforts towards climate-neutral steel production with the umbrella brand XCarb; by investing in technologies and start-ups, by awarding certificates for CO₂ savings in steel production and especially by low-carbon manufacturing variants. The XCarb steel made from recycled and renewable material is produced in an electric arc furnace using 100% renewable electricity and up to 100% scrap depending on the steel grade. For these steel products, emissions can be as low as 333 kilograms of CO₂ equivalents per tonne of end product.
The XCarb recycled and renewably produced used by Finkernagel and Ejot respectively significantly reduces the Scope 3 emissions of both companies. The EJOT Group aims to reduce its CO₂ emissions from the current level of approx. 190,000 tonnes per year to zero by 2035. In addition to a variety of its own measures to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, Finkernagel is primarily focusing on the use of a low-CO₂ steel input material. According to its decarbonisation strategy, ArcelorMittal aims to achieve net zero emissions worldwide by 2050.
Omron Introduces F440 Smart camera: Offering Flexibility for Machine Design with Compact and Powerful Machine Vision
With its compact form factor, the F440 is ideal for OEMs and manufacturers seeking a state-of-the-art smart camera that combines power and quality in a small package.
Industry-leading automation solutions provider Omron Automation Americas announces the launch of the F440 Smart Camera, an innovative solution designed to add flexibility to machine vision applications. It empowers companies to embed a fully self-contained vision system within machines, providing ease of use while improving performance.
In industries such as Life Sciences, Food and Commodities, Logistics, Semiconductor and Electronics, there is a growing demand for advanced machine vision systems capable of inspecting multiple products simultaneously. This requirement calls for higher pixel resolutions to increase throughput. Additionally, industries face the common challenge of a skilled labor shortage, compounded by the need for intricate lensing and lighting setups. The F440 Smart Camera effectively addresses these issues by providing vision engineers with a fully contained vision system.
The F440 Smart Camera serves a wide range of applications, including cap inspection, fill level inspection, box count, label barcode & OCR, measurement, and more. To ensure maximum customization, it offers a variety of accessory options, allowing users to select their preferred lensing, lighting, and cabling solutions. With an industry-standard C Lens Mount, users can fine-tune the optics and lighting to meet their specific requirements. It comes equipped with the AutoVISION software platform, which offers three levels of capability tailored to different application needs.
The Advanced Design of a BOBST CI Press Reduces Bounce While Maintaining High Print Quality
Notwithstanding the huge progress of CI flexo printing over the past 20 years or so, bouncing remains a factor that can affect the quality of a printed job and result in loss of production time and unnecessary waste. Furthermore, to avoid the occurrence of it, a printer may fail to maximize the CI flexo press capabilities by limiting production speed with some applications, hence productivity.
There may be factors that together, can concur to bouncing, but the occurrence of vibrations is no doubt one of the most common contributors. If the contact of the flexo plate with the anilox roller and the substrate is inconsistent, its highs and lows during printing cause the vibrations that affect the print quality.
Other than the reduction of speed, there are different solutions that can contribute to containing the effect of bouncing, such as finding the plates or the tapes that make a printer’s printing process more consistent, along with the stability of the press itself.
The latter is exactly how BOBST has tackled the issue of bouncing on wide-web CI flexo presses: with an advanced press design that offers features that have been specifically developed to eliminate press vibrations.
These include some specific design components:
Sturdy cast iron frame
Top and bottom slide guides for the bearing caps of the anilox roller and plate cylinder
Automatic opening and closing of the bearing caps of the plate cylinders
Carbon fibre shafts, which have advanced physical properties, for plate cylinders
Drive controls that perfectly synchronize the speed of the plate cylinder with the print design
The BOBST VISION CI is a flexo press which combines all of the above features and more. All aimed at enabling production of top print quality at high speed.
The press’ advanced drive control system allows for perfect register control. This means that it is possible to achieve precise alignment of colors and images, resulting in high-quality prints that meet the most precise specifications. The frustration derived from the time-consuming process of readjusting the register is eliminated, along with unnecessary downtime and costs.
Other quality-enhancing and cost-reducing features of the VISION CI flexo press include:
impression setting adjustments by 1 µm
a one-pump inking system for the optimal flow of inks
BOBST advanced CI flexo technology, achieved through the perfect combination and integration of mechanical and electronic features ensures printing consistency and accuracy run after run, giving converters the confidence that the final product meets the highest standards of quality.
2022 Budget Approved: the Group Exceeds €500 Million in Revenue
New governance and a new board of directors for Sirmax Group, the Cittadella-based company specializing in the production of thermoplastic resins, led by president and CEO Massimo Pavin. The new 5-member executive body includes Massimo Pavin and his brothers Roberto and Vittorio, respectively Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and former Sales Director of the household appliances sector. They are joined by two external directors: Alessandro Minichilli, a full professor at the Department of Management and Technology of Milan’s Bocconi University and an expert in the processes of succession, transition and managerialization of family businesses, and Mauro Fenzi, the current General Manager of Sacmi, an Imola-based company with solid technical experience in the development of automation systems for the automotive and industrial sectors.
The entry of the two new external directors marks Sirmax’s willingness to plan and organize the handover between Sirmax’s top management and the second generation of the family, as well as the current managers. It also shows the Group’s increased focus on the fast-growing automotive sector, in which Mauro Fenzi has operated for a long time.
“The generational handover is a long and complex path that needs to be prepared,” said Massimo Pavin, Sirmax Group President and CEO. “A more structured Board of Directors will give us the most suitable tools to prepare our company – which will remain family-owned – for succession. I sincerely thank Professor Alessandro Minichilli and Mr Mauro Fenzi for agreeing to join the board. I am sure that with their input and thanks to the investments planned in the 2023/25 business plan we will be able to face the future with the right tools to grow further.”
The 2023/25 business plan
Ahead of the new appointments, Sirmax’s board of directors launched the new 2023-2025 business plan, while simultaneously preparing the final report for 2022. In the next three years, the company – which manufactures polypropylene compounds, engineering plastics, post-consumer compounds, and bio-compounds – will continue developing along the same lines defined in the previous and make new investments of around €20 million. These investments will be added to those made in previous industrial plans to increase production capacity, undergo digital transformation, and invest in sustainability. One specific investment will be in India, where the expansion of the production site in Palwal (Delhi) is planned.
In the 2023-25 plan, intangible investments will also continue. The “Aurora Project”, launched in 2023, has already seen R&D investments of around €10 million, which include funds from the National Plan for Complementary Investment of the NRRP. The aim of the project is to upcycle and transform polypropylene from urban waste collection into a new generation of high-performance compounds through the development of an advanced production system. This project will see the production of new compounds containing at least 30% recycled polypropylene from flexible films sourced from urban waste collection. The new compounds will be performant enough to be used for the injection molding of interior automotive components.
Other plans are also under development. A project is being studied with Deloitte for an integrated supply chain involving people, processes, and tools. Additionally, a different methodology for management control is being explored, aiming to be more reliable and faster, enhancing the ability to forecast and make business decisions swiftly in line with the fast-paced and volatile market. Another significant project focuses on Human Resources and entails a policy for employee retention and the attraction of new talent.
“The training plan has been reinforced in terms of both quantity (hours provided) and quality (a more diversified and enriched course portfolio),” commented Silvia Minafra, who has worked as Global HR Director at Sirmax Group for the last few months. “This enhancement aims to capture the strengths and areas for improvement of each employee. In this regard, we are also considering the establishment of an Academy—an internal training structure designed to thoroughly train young talents who are eager to get involved through targeted integration courses.”
Underlying all of Sirmax Group’s initiatives is sustainability as a mindset. This is achieved through various tools, including the Sustainability Report, benefit, certifications, and internal actions. The purpose of these efforts is to shift the company’s focus towards parameters that will ensure its competitiveness in the market. Currently, the Sustainability Report is in its third edition, following the previous editions released in 2020 and 2021. Notably, the upcoming 2022 edition will highlight Sirmax’s commitment to reducing emissions. The company aims to achieve a target of 50% reduction of scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by 2025.
“These are significant goals,” explained Marco Moretto, Global Director of Opportunity to Market, “and the Group is diligently focusing on R&D. Our primary strategy to achieve these goals is through the utilization of circular products in Sirmax compounds, replacing the need for virgin raw materials. Additionally, we are exploring the development of formulations with bio-based or low-emission content. Moreover, we place great emphasis on our supply chain, recognizing the importance of green suppliers in attaining genuine sustainability.”
The 2022 budget
The board of directors of Sirmax Group has also approved the budget figures for 2022 and the figures for the first quarter of 2023. The 2022 fiscal year concluded with a revenue surpassing the €500 million threshold, reaching €501 million. This represents an increase of over 7% compared to €467 million in 2021. The EBITDA stood at €30 million. The best-performing regions were Brazil, with a 50% sales growth primarily attributed to the acquisition of new market shares in the automotive sector, and India, which saw a 30% increase in sales across various sectors including automotive, household appliances, and tools. In both cases the company is reaping the fruits of significant investments made in research and development. Furthermore, the green segment (consisting of recycled compounds and bio-compounds) is gaining importance within the business units, accounting for 10% of sales in 2022. The production capacity is already in place to support the expected growth in this segment driven by market demands.
As for the first quarter of 2023, the figures are in line with the forecasts. Approximately 60,000 tons of products were sold, generating sales of €115 million, and the EBITDA stands at around €8 million. The automotive sector experienced a 12% growth in the first quarter of 2023, and sales quantities are projected to double over the next three years.
Massimo Pavin.
“For Sirmax, 2022 was a year divided in half,” commented Massimo Pavin. “The first half of the year showed a highly positive performance. However, during the second half, we faced challenges such as increasing energy costs, inflationary pressure, resulting in a slowdown in investments. Additionally, there was a decline in demand for durable goods like household appliances. Despite these circumstances, we managed to maintain our market share. 2023 will be a transitional year, as we wait for a more structured recovery in 2024. The automotive market has shown signs of rebounding, with a growing demand for components containing recycled plastic parts. Our focus lies on the development of our new businesses, particularly in the realm of circular economy, an area in which we have made significant investments. We are also closely monitoring the supply of performance compounds for electric car battery boxes, a rapidly expanding segment. Our fully localized value chain, ongoing research in sustainable products, and injection molding services will serve as our true competitive advantages in the coming 5 years.”
Huntsman and V-Carbon Technologies Combine Expertise for End-of-Life Recycling Solutions for Carbon Fiber Composites
There is no denying the advancements made possible through the use of composite materials in the world today. Aviation, transportation, and energy sectors simply could not deliver the 30+% fuel and energy efficiencies without the use of these strong and lightweight composites. While these achievements are significant, there is one area where efforts to improve the sustainability of products has lagged behind – recyclability.
A commitment to a CO2-neutral economy requires a sustainable approach to carbon fiber composite recycling, one that can address the waste volumes being produced by the composite industry and the end-of-life (EOL) volumes that are building annually with limited options other than disposing in landfills or incineration.
Known for enriching lives through innovation with material solutions that meet customers’ most demanding needs, Huntsman is actively pursuing solutions to solve the composites recycling challenge. While several companies are currently active in finding industrial and economically viable solutions for recycling reinforcement fibers with a focus on carbon fiber, very few, if any, are looking at recycling the entire composite, including the fiber and the resin or its chemical components.
Experts in Huntsman’s Advanced Materials division approached several recycling companies to propose collaboration efforts targeting the recovery or recycling of both the fiber and the resin and chemical components. They found an ally in V-Carbon Technologies, a UK-based advanced materials technology company.
V-Carbon has developed the first fully integrated carbon fiber (CF) circular economy for use in the aerospace, automotive, wind energy, and industrial sectors. A highly innovative and integrated process chain has been developed to deliver advanced materials systems using high performance second life carbon fibers. V-Carbon’s technology driven approach is disruptive; it addresses the whole process chain from fiber to formulated products. Impressively, recovered carbon fiber material systems retain their mechanical performance for high performance, high value applications across the relevant market segments and are easily integrated into existing manufacturing platforms.
The V-Carbon technology is based on a patented “chemolysis” process that is able to deliver a complete circular economy with no waste where the carbon fiber as well as the chemical resins obtained at the end of the recycling process provides the opportunity for repurposing.
That’s where Huntsman brings its chemical expertise.
“With our extensive experience in developing and manufacturing chemical products, we are well-matched to work with V-Carbon to analyze the resin recyclate that results from their chemolysis process,” said Klaus Ritter, Technology Intelligence Manager for Huntsman’s Advanced Materials division. “By studying the output of the recycling process, we can identify new uses for the material, which helps solve the current end of life issue with high performance composite materials.”
Huntsman and V-Carbon have agreed to join their efforts to develop and optimize the recovery of the chemicals present in the “chemolysis recyclate,” which has previously not been possible, and offer sustainable uses for the recycled materials.
“Working with Huntsman allows us to provide even more value to our customers and to society as a whole,” said Damian J. Cessario, Founder and CEO from V-Carbon Technologies. “We were already successful in producing carbon fiber yarn from our process. Our collaboration with Huntsman opens up additional opportunities for circularity in manufacturing by identifying sustainable solutions for the entire carbon fiber composite material.”
World Plastic Connection Summit: The Largest Global Meeting of the Converted Plastics Industry, to Take Place on August 21-24 in São Paulo
With the theme “Brazil as a Shaper of Global Trends in Converted Plastics, the event will be featuring a seminar with international guests such as Karim Rashid and Dr. Sascha Peters, launch of the color trend book by Jum Nakao, global industry awards, launch of the yearbook, Buyer Project, and Image Project
Think Plastic Brazil (Brazilian Converted Plastics Export and Internationalization Program), created by INP (Brazilian Plastics Institute) in partnership with ApexBrasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), will be holding the 3rd World Plastic Connection Summit, Brazil’s main event with an international focus on the Converted Plastics sector and the largest connection platform in the Americas for the industry in this sector. The Summit will be held In a hybrid format (in person and online), at Blue Tree Premium Alphaville (Alameda Madeira, 398 – Alphaville, Barueri, SP), on August 21-24, 2023, with simultaneous broadcasting in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. In 2022, the event brought together more than 300 people in person, with lectures broadcast online to 67 countries with over 14,000 hits worldwide.
In this edition, when Think Plastic Brazil celebrates 20 years of existence, one of the great attractions is the International Hybrid Seminar, which will feature renowned international names such as Egyptian designer Karim Rashid, Brazilian creator Jum Nakao, Finnish trend specialist Susanna Björklund, the German specialist in the development of new materials, Prof. Dr. Sascha Peters, and Brazilian researcher Giácomo Parolin.
“The event has become an international benchmark for the Converted Plastics industry, bringing together the world’s leading researchers in the sector in Brazil. The hybrid seminar, which will be held on August 21-22, is a time for renewing knowledge, as well as being a unique opportunity for a relationship between the main entrepreneurs, buyers and researchers in the sector,” explained Carlos Moreira, manager of Think Plastic Brazil.
REGISTRATION OPEN AT https://thinkplasticbrazil.com/wpc_summit_2023
The Summit is composed of:
Hybrid International Seminar: International technical seminar held in a hybrid format (face-to-face and online lectures and access). It will feature an exclusive selection of the most important global professionals to meet the information demands of the entire Converted Plastics chain and will be held on August 21-22.
The highlights of this edition include renowned international designer Karim Rashid, who will give a lecture on design and innovation; Finnish journalist and trend specialist Susanna Björklund, who will talk about trends in sustainable design; German specialist and professor Sascha Peters, who will present new materials for the sustainability of plastics; Brazilian researcher Giácomo Parolin, who will discuss the role of plastics in the circular economy; and packaging designer and specialist in the area of creative business governance, Lincoln Seragini, who will present success stories in packaging in Brazil; among others.
The Seminar’s schedule also includes panels on corporate leadership and design, in addition to the launch of the International Color Trends Guide (Color Trend 2024) and the International Yearbook (Yearbook 2023), with data from the international industry and information from member companies of the Program.
International Award: with the aim of acknowledging and publicizing companies that invest in internationalization processes, in addition to honoring relevant actions by member companies of the Program, the main innovation of this year’s award will be the opening of registration to companies not associated with Think Plastic Brazil.
Color Trend – International Color Trend 2024: An in-depth global study of color trends in the converted plastics market, reflecting Brazilian culture and presenting new possibilities for production and product development to Brazilian companies. The color survey was coordinated by renowned artist, creative director and product designer Jum Nakao.
International Yearbook: The third edition of the yearbook in three languages (Portuguese, English, and Spanish) has been reformatted, with even more information and highlighting the 190 Brazilian member companies of Think Plastic Brazil, in addition to presenting international sectoral information for 2023. The International Yearbook will be available in an online format and will have a few copies available in print format.
Buyer Project – Buyers Project International Show: Held on August 23-23, at the Hotel Blue Tree Premium Alphaville, the face-to-face event will be serving all verticals of the Converted Plastics sector, with negotiation roundtables and a large area for networking, in addition to a selected mailing list of international buyers with exclusive access to participants.
Image Promotion: At this event, held alongside the Buyer Project, member companies of the Think Plastic Brazil Program are able to welcome buyers and guest journalists.
Technical Visits: in the last two days of the event, international buyers and guest journalists will participate in technical visits to the plants of the member companies of the Think Plastic Brazil program.
Internationalization Consulting Clinics: A new feature at this year’s Summit, the consulting clinics will bring together representatives from ApexBrasil, law firms and business consultants, who will address various topics of interest to Think Plastic Brazil members.
The World Plastic Connection Summit is one of the main actions of the sectoral project for the verticals supported by the Think Plastic Brazil program: Agribusiness, Toys and Childcare, Construction, Packaging, Supplies (including the Masterbatch, the material responsible for coloring Converted Plastic products), and Housewares.
The World Plastic Connection Summit 2023 has the following supporters: Valgroup (Highlight Plastic); Braskem (Master Plastic); Colorfix and Engeflex (Masterbatch Special Plastic); Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce; Abiplast and Abiquim (Institutional Support); and the publications Plásticos em Revista, Plástico Virtual, and All Pet Food Magazine (Media Partners).
Shell Partners With Honda Gulf to Supply Genuine Motor Oil for Passenger Cars in Oman & Qatar
DUBAI, UAE: Shell Lubricants Middle East (Shell) signed an agreement with Honda Gulf FZE to become the exclusive provider of genuine motor oil for Honda’s passenger cars in Oman and Qatar.
The signing ceremony was attended by Haytham Yehia, General Manager of Shell Middle East & Central Asia, Jagadish Gorla, Shell Regional Business Manager, Lubricants MECAS, Khaled Seif, Shell Marketing Director, Lubricants MECAS, Yasuhiro Yuminoke, Managing Director, Honda Gulf FZE, Manish Rai, General Manager, Honda Gulf FZE, Renthish K, Head of Sales, Honda Gulf FZE and Nobutaka Tanji, Sr. General Manager, Honda Africa and the Middle Representative Office.
The agreement provides Honda customers with exceptional value for money and enhanced customer satisfaction through access to premium lubricants for their passenger cars.
Gulf countries are known for their extreme temperatures and unique driving conditions; with rough, sandy environments and temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius in the summer. These conditions present a unique set of requirements for automotive and passenger car owners.
Shell’s advanced oil formulations are designed to offer optimal engine protection, enhanced fuel efficiency and extended life span of critical engine components and offers a diverse portfolio of lubricants and motor oils that fit demands of motorists in Gulf countries.
Commenting on this agreement, Haytham Yehia, General Manager of Shell Markets Middle East said: “We have a strong association with Honda across international markets and are pleased with the prospects of bolstering our partnership locally and in key markets across the GCC. We have a longstanding presence in the Middle East. Our understanding of the local market has enabled us to offer customers quality lubricants that fit the needs and demands of passenger car owners in the Gulf regions.”
Shell Middle East partners with Honda Gulf to supply Genuine Motor Oil for passenger cars in Oman & Qatar.
Commenting on this agreement, Yasuhiro Yuminoke, Managing Director of Honda Gulf FZE said “Honda has always believed in delivering high performance quality products with superior technology for its customers in the Africa and Middle East Region. Shell has been a pioneer in developing quality products and we are assured that this partnership will exceed customers’ expectations in terms of product and performance.”
Honda’s collaboration with Shell is an extension of the partnership established in eight countries; including India, China and Malaysia.
Shell Lubricants offers a range of genuine motor oil to 10 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)’s customers in the Middle East; a testament to its diverse portfolio of high-quality and performance product offering.
ABB India Achieves ~82% Reduction in Own GHG Emissions Across All Manufacturing Locations
Primary reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions over 2019 baseline
RE100 (renewable electricity) realization and usage of greener energy sources major contributors
Five ABB locations across India – Nelamangala, Peenya, Maneja, Nashik, and Faridabad – certified as ‘Green Factory Buildings’ by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC)
These sustainability milestones contribute towards ABB’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and are aligned with India’s net zero emission targets
ABB India today announced that its sustainability initiatives have cumulatively led to an 81.6% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions versus its 2019 baseline. This has been primarily aided by the investment into renewable energy sources and the realization of RE100 across its 5 manufacturing locations. In the process, all 5 ABB India owned manufacturing locations in the country have been certified as ‘Green Factory Buildings’ by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) after a rigorous evaluation of multiple parameters such as innovation in design, environmental categories, resource conservation and indoor environment quality. The company has also enhanced water recyclability by ~12% versus the 2019 baseline and aims to become water neutral/positive across all locations by 2025. Currently, the company recycles ~95% of the waste generated across all their facilities to realise the company-wide long-term sustainability targets of zero waste to landfill.
Without disrupting its ongoing operations, ABB India implemented energy-efficient and innovative solutions in a phased manner across its decades-old locations pan-India making these locations more sustainable. The realization of their RE100 global commitment to eliminate Scope 2 GHG emissions from its operations was achieved with the utilization of renewable electricity. It included green power utilisation from in-house solar panels, green power purchase from third parties through power purchase agreements (PPA) and procurement of International Renewable Energy Certificates (IREC). Catalyzing this green transformation, ABB deployed over 5000 of its own sustainable technology-led products at multiple sites. Other key ABB sustainable solutions deployed across its locations include AI-enabled building automation technology, energy-efficient lighting, HVAC solutions (highest-rated energy-efficient motors and drives), and measurement analytics products.
“We’ve been making concrete efforts towards achieving the 2030 sustainability goals. Double-digit reduction of our own GHG emissions, the realization of RE100 and Green factory building certifications for all our manufacturing locations are significant milestones in our journey towards sustainability. They reassure us of the positive impact we can make towards creating a resource-efficient and low carbon future.” said Sanjeev Sharma, Country Head and Managing Director, ABB India.
With its global 2030 sustainability strategy, ABB is actively enabling a low-carbon society as well as working with its customers and suppliers to implement sustainable practices across its value chain and the lifecycle of its products and solutions. Recently, the Company was also recognized as the ‘Pioneer in large scale adoption of green factory buildings’ by the IGBC. ABB’s Nelamangala campus has been certified ‘Water Positive’ by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). The Company’s performance has also been rated as “Strong” in the ESG risk assessment by CRISIL for its multiple ESG initiatives.
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation.
Special Memories With Felix Kleinert From 25 Years NETZSCH
We say thank you! Felix Kleinert was CEO at NETZSCH Pumps & Systems for almost 25 years, making the company a global specialist for handling complex media over the past quarter century.
During this time, he had a decisive influence on the company and his companions. However, the CEO took his well-deserved retirement at the end of the business year. Long-time colleagues and close confidants report on special and sometimes funny moments with him over the past quarter of a century.
Jens Heidkötter: “It was always a pleasure to work with you“
Felix Kleinert and Jens Heidkötter toast the past three and a half years and the upcoming retirement of the CEO together.
Dear Felix, as you might conclude from the photo, it wasn’t always a party in the three and a half years we worked together. However, working with you has always been a pleasure! We were able to move forward a lot of things, especially our NETZSCH Campus in Waldkraiburg. I will miss you here. Although we didn’t always agree, I hardly know anyone with whom I worked as well as I did with you. I learned a lot from you, and I am very grateful. Your legacy for NETZSCH Pumpen & Systeme GmbH, the business unit and the entire NETZSCH Group cannot be overestimated. We are excellently positioned and have a great team. Despite your farewell, this makes me very optimistic about the future – the best is still ahead! Fortunately, you are not out of the world. I would be thrilled to see you again regularly, if you like, just at lunchtime or with our wives Kerstin and Mila on one of our terraces. I wish you a great start to retirement. Enjoy the time with Kerstin, your family and friends – and please: Stay healthy and take care of yourself!
Jens Heidkötter – Managing Director NETZSCH Pumps & Systems
Thomas Streubel: “Your approach to team culture was a turning point”
PORSCHE was the result of a several day workshop in 1999 and the beginning of an exciting future.
Dear Felix, thank you for 24 exciting, thrilling and successful years. Especially the first three years together, you as managing director and me as sales manager, were very influential to me. Looking at the profit-and-loss calculation, our backs were against the wall, making us feel very uncomfortable. We felt the responsibility to steer the big steamship into calmer and more successful waters. But we didn’t break under the weight. Thanks to your way of leadership, the freedom and the great trust you placed in us, we were able to pour out much adrenaline and were almost in a rush. That’s how we managed to save the company and build up a global business unit in connection with it. Today, after a quarter of a century, you and your long-time companions can look back on an impressive turnaround. Your approach to team culture was a turning point. Thanks to this, we have successfully taken almost all employees on the journey of modernisation in the PORSCHE. Right at the beginning of your time at NETZSCH, you started a restructuring programme, the prelude to which was a workshop lasting several days in 1999 – Saturdays and Sundays, of course. The result was the PORSCHE – Process Oriented Restructuring Secures our Chances and helps us to Eminence. It moved us forward. However, I was also able to learn a lot from you personally, which went far beyond the scope of my work. You have undoubtedly shaped my path in life, and I want to thank you for your trust, support, friendship, and sometimes a bed in your room. Take good care of yourself and try to enjoy your next life stage. At the moment, I don’t know if you’ve mastered not working.
Thomas Streubel – President NETZSCH Pumps USA
Ken Shen: “I wish you only the best, Felix!”
In 2014, Felix Kleinert, Ken Shen, and other NETZSCH colleagues met with government officials in Lanzhou, China.
Hi Felix, I joined NETZSCH in 2014 as the managing director of NETZSCH Lanzhou Pumps. I remember you visited us the same year, and we met the Lanzhou government together. I will never forget our meeting with a government official. Since then, nine years and many more visits to us in China and conferences in other places have passed. Time passes quickly. When I saw these pictures, it seemed like yesterday. Thank you so much for your support over the years. I wish you only the best, Felix!
Ken Shen – General Manager NETZSCH Lanzhou Pumps
Osvaldo Ferreira: “You were a good boss”
Together with Bernd Murrenhoff and Osvaldo Ferreira, Felix Kleinert visited a local distributor in Australia in 2004.
Thank you, Felix! For all your support over the past years and for helping us to achieve outstanding results in the Pumps & Systems business unit. You were a good boss who always empowered us to act for the good of the region and the entire NETZSCH Group.
Osvaldo Ferreira – Managing Director NETZSCH do Brasil
Edwin Chng: “I learnt many things from you”
Felix Kleinert and Edwin Chng at the opening of NETZSCH Asia Pacific in Singapore in 2017.
Your leadership and guidance have brought the Pumps & Systems business unit to where we are today. Several sites worldwide were incorporated during this time, paving the way for our flagship product, the NEMO progressing cavity pump, to become the market leader. You always tried to visit all the offices worldwide as often as possible. You were also present at the inauguration of the NETZSCH Asia Pacific office building in Singapore in 2017 – I have fond memories of that. I learned many things from you, including the toast that the first glass is always on the NETZSCH Group. Congratulations on your retirement, and best wishes for your new life phase! Stay healthy, and enjoy it!
Edwin Chng – Managing Director NETZSCH Asia Pacific
Norman Vivek: “It was a memorable moment for us”
Norman Vivek, Felix Kleinert and Andreas Denker met together in India in 2023 as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations.
Leadership, they say, is influence. Influence to inspire and align people towards a common goal—the power to bring out the best in each individual’s potential. Under your guideway, presence and foresight, NETZSCH Pumps & System India was founded almost from scratch. You trusted and believed in me all along the way, in the good times and especially in the difficult times of these 20 years. The decision to invest in India was indeed visionary and courageous. The journey has had turbulences, but you have remained like a pillar for us to fall back on and bear. Over time, your love for the country of India has also grown. Your favourite butter chicken will always remind me of you, and your visit to my home with your family was a memorable moment for us. We still remember it fondly and talk about it. It was a blessing and an honour to have you as my boss all these years. We will miss you very much. I wish you much of everything you desire and deserve in life.
Norman Vivek – Managing Director NETZSCH Technologies India
Karl-Heinz Mommert: “All the best for the future and, above all, health”
A total of 21 years lie between Felix Kleinert’s first and last visit to Karl-Heinz Mommert in Russia, and much has changed since then.
Dear Felix, 24 years – a long, intense and exciting time. The two photos show you on your first visit to Russia in 2001 and the last one in November 2022. A lot has changed in all these years. You thought of founding NETZSCH Pumps RUS, and we developed the company into the market leader. Unfortunately, our weight has also changed in addition to our approach to the market. Thank you for your trust and the friendly atmosphere. I wish you all the best for the future and health to care about the things that fell short in the last few years. We will stay in contact, and I hope we can enjoy a few more glasses of Beluga together.
Karl-Heinz Mommert – General Director NETZSCH Pumps RUS
Rita Buchner: “It was always inspiring to work with you”
Fun should not be neglected either: On the occasion of Carnival Thursday, Rita Buchner and Felix Kleinert wore funny costumes.
My highlight with you, Mr Kleinert, was a work meeting on a Carnival Thursday in your “mobile office” in Schaching. As you can see, you always keep the fun from coming up short. Thanks to your strategic way of working and your trust in your employees, working with you has always been inspiring. As a human resources manager, it was imposing to experience how you always valued the employees’ representatives in their democratic mandate. The Pumps & Systems business unit will miss you. I wish you all the best for the next stage of your life and good health!
Rita Buchner – Director Human Resources NETZSCH Pumps & Systems
Ralf Stauske: “You were always there, no matter the time or topic”
In 2009, Felix Kleinert and Ralf Stauske met with the management of NETZSCH Pumps Lanzhou.
There were many memorable moments with you, Felix. I fondly recall meeting with the management team in 2009 and 2016 and your visit to the Anting factory in 2018, but what I remember most is how you guided us. You were always there, no matter the time or the issue. I will never forget the guidance and support you gave us when you were needed and the trust you gave me and everyone else. For all this, I would like to thank you, Felix. I wish you all the best, a happy and healthy retirement and hope you will find the time to enjoy the things you love to do.
Ralf Stauske – General Manager Support Processes NETZSCH Lanzhou Pumps
Michael Sigl: “You recognised the importance of IT early on and encouraged us”
While in 1999 they still worked with overhead projectors and flipcharts, today they largely use digital media.
When you, Mr Kleinert, and I first met in my office in the IT department, the world was a different place. In 1996 we had exactly one server and about 30 computers. In 1997 we acquired the first mobile phone, a Siemens S10 – there was no Internet yet. You recognised the importance of IT early on and always encouraged us, but also challenged us. Today we have a global network with hundreds of servers and thousands of clients – information and data can be accessed worldwide at any time. I wish you all the best for your retirement!
Michael Sigl – Teamlead IT Workplace Services & Service Desk NETZSCH Pumps & Systems
Bernhard Murrenhoff: “I remember our first world tour in 2004”
Felix Kleinert and Bernhard Murrenhoff on their first world tour for NETZSCH Pumps & Systems in 2004.
I remember our first world tour in 2004 as a kick-off to another very successful strategic approach, “in the region for the region”. We started our journey from Munich to India, followed by visits to Bangkok, Singapore, China and Australia. We visited a distributor in Hawaii and the USA and finally returned to Munich after three exciting and challenging weeks,. All the best for your future, Felix!
Bernhard Murrenhoff – Export Control Officer NETZSCH Pumps & Systems
Martin Kalleder: “Wish you all the best, good luck and health”
Lights on for the NETZSCH Campus in Waldkraiburg: Felix Kleinert and Martin Kalleder switched on the logo lighting together.
Dear Felix, on the occasion of your 65th birthday and your farewell, I would like to say THANK YOU, thank you for the trust you have consistently placed in me since 2012 and thank you for the excellent cooperation in all NETZSCH construction projects. You deserve my deepest thanks and respect for your successful work as CEO. I wish you all the best, happiness, and above all, health in your well-deserved retirement as well as wonderful travel experiences with your wife, Kerstin.
Martin Kalleder – Building- and Facility Manager NETZSCH Pumps & Systems
Sonja Karsten: ”Thank you Felix, for the journey we’ve made together”
The management of NETZSCH Pumps & Systems with Felix Kleinert and Sonja Karsten in 2020.
We both started at the same time, with you as managing director and me after more than ten years in accounting in the investment controlling and accounting department. Those were challenging times. We have set up and turned around a lot with our colleagues in over 20 years. Together we gave reporting and budgeting a new face step by step. One highlight was the “straps”. You came in one day and said we were now doing “straps”. Our irritated faces amused you until you enlightened us. In 2000, we introduced the “Strategic Plan of Actions” for budgeting, which is still in use today in a slightly different form. Thank you, Felix, for the journey we have made together and for your support. Initially, I was a greenhorn in this area and could learn much from you. Above all, always look positively ahead, not stand still and meet the new with openness and curiosity. Enjoy your retirement and don’t forget us completely!
Sonja Karsten – Vice President / Manager Controlling & Finance
What remains after almost 25 years as CEO at NETZSCH Pumps & Systems are countless beautiful memories and a well-positioned company – thank you, and all the best for the future!
