If you take the issue of sustainability seriously, you must approach it comprehensively and implement it holistically. WILD currently focuses on awareness, energy saving, and resource reservation.

Turn off the lights, shut down equipment or spot the power guzzlers. Simple things like these are a first step towards greater sustainability. For intelligent and sustainable resource and energy conservation, however, a holistic approach is required. That is precisely what the WILD Group has done. Based on the concept of circular economy, the technology partner has devised lines of action for all its corporate areas. The topics of energy conservation, precise analysis of waste substances and awareness trainings for staff are currently at the top of the to-do list. The latter is the responsibility of none other than CEO Josef Hackl himself. ”Seeing the circular economy through to the end means a fundamental shift of our thinking patterns and practices. This is why the trainings take place as oral briefings in small groups“, Hackl explains. The group members jointly examine the type of energy used by WILD in detail and try to identify any energy conservation potentials. ”The interesting part is that everyone finds something! The issue of energy  costs is currently omnipresent. The ideas are often small but together they make a real difference. The potential of all these measures amounts to energy savings of 10 to 15%“, Hackl affirms.

The next big step will be the commissioning of a new photovoltaic installation at the end of February. With a total output of 666 kWp, it will cover roughly 20% of the electricity demand at the Völkermarkt site. ”In addition, we have completely overhauled the heating system and fitted it with new actuators, sensors and a new digital controller. Alongside monitoring, we are currently working on an adjusted fresh air supply and an energy-optimised reduction of the production hall conditions during night, weekend and company holiday periods“,  stresses Hackl.

The third set of topics actively addressed by WILD is the resource-efficient use and disposal of substances. The company analyses all waste substances, ranging from aluminium shavings produced during milling to cardboard boxes for packaging. ”How are these developing in comparison with sales? What can we reduce? What is the efficiency of these materials when they are recycled? All of these factors play a role in our considerations“, says Hackl. This is precisely why awareness trainings are so important in all departments. ”For instance, initiating a sustainable attitude in the work of design engineers will result in numerous optimisations that reduce scrap and rework in manufacturing, thus helping us produce more sustainably and more economically.“ This is also the perspective of Arthur Primus, who will take over all sustainability issues as COO from April.