Syntegon offers a software solution to provide carbon footprint transparency for all its machines. Syntegon developed the calculation that works with parameters such as electricity, compressed air, media, and packaging materials. Both packaging and processing equipment can be examined. It relates the defined parameters to the individual CO2 emissions, identifying consumption case-by-case. For data collection and analysis, Syntegon relies on software from the Institute for Environmental Informatics (ifu) in Hamburg and a comprehensive database from the Zurich-based non-profit organization ecoinvent. It is certified by TÜV Rheinland, a German Association for technical inspection.
“Our analysis covers the machines’ lifecycle, from manufacture and transport to use. The latter accounts for around two-thirds of the entire equipment lifecycle,” explains Steffen Carbon, responsible for eco-friendly product design at Syntegon. “With the collected data, we effectively support customers in improving their machines and processes in terms of sustainable production and cost reduction.”
By 2025, the company wants to reduce the consumption of particularly energy-intensive equipment by 25% and achieve a consumption that is below industry standards for around 80% of the equipment in its own portfolio, according to its recent announcement. Consumption plays a central role across the entire lifecycle of a machine: more than two-thirds of the CO2 footprint is generated in the operational phase. The newly developed calculation is part of the so-called Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), an evaluation of machine data across the entire lifecycle.
In 2021, Syntegon initiated an LCA project to record the CO2 emissions of its machines and reduce them in the long term. “We are extending our offer by another important module. It enables our customers to achieve their sustainability goals,” explains Marc Braeuninger, responsible for quality management and product compliance at Syntegon. “By knowing the exact consumption and emissions of our machines, we can optimize them continuously – and make a further contribution to greater sustainability
Syntegon developed the methodology in 2021. Syntegon tested an initial model of its consumption analysis in autumn last year with the Elematic 3001 case packer and the GKF 720 capsule filling machine. The company presented the results of the test phase at the Expo Lounges 2022 in Karlsruhe, Germany, for the first time. TÜV Rheinland certified the solution in July 2022. Data aggregation and preparation conform with common international standards such as ISO 14067 and enable the use of the calculation model beyond the test equipment. “Our approach allows us to examine all machines in our portfolio, as well as various production scenarios, on-demand – and thus gain further insights into CO2 values beyond the pilot phase,” Carbon emphasizes.
Following the successful pilot phase and certification, the Life Cycle Assessment is still in an early stage, Syntegon explains. In the coming months and years, the company intends to expand its service portfolio with a solution for identifying consumption and CO2 values that will provide customers with useful information on how to reduce emissions and support them in their CO2 reporting. The resulted data will be put to more use in the future as well – in the development of new machines, for example.
Photo: Syntegon developed and tested the TÜV-certified methodology for CO2 calculation with the Elematic 3001 case packer from its own food portfolio (Credit: Syntegon)
