How DMG Mori tackles overall CO2 emissions for machining equipment!

By Bhalchandra Chorghade, Editor, CNCTimes.com

Since 2020, machine manufacturer DMG Mori has been climate-neutral in its own value creation, avoiding emissions in all areas. Since 2021, the company is also offsetting CO2 emissions generated in the supply chain.

To ensure climate neutrality, DMG Mori relies on modern heating and cooling systems, uses self-generated and renewable energy and purchases green energy where possible — covering the majority of its locations and, offsets any remaining CO2 emissions that could not be avoided by investing in sustainable certified climate protection projects. Since January 2021, the company has gone further by also offsetting the CO2 emissions generated in the supply chain during the manufacture of purchased products such as the mining of raw materials. This enables customers to receive climate-neutral machines and automation solutions, the company states.

For the evaluation of carbon emissions there are three categories, Scope 1, 2 and 3. Measuring and controlling CO2 in Scope 1 and Scope 2 is relatively straightforward as these covers:

Scope 1: Direct emissions from the generation of electricity, heat or steam from combustion processes.

Scope 2: Emissions from the purchase of electricity and thermal energy.

In the above two cases, companies can take some relatively simple steps such as purchasing renewable electricity or installing solar panels to minimise their CO2 and purchasing approved carbon offsets to balance the excess.

Scope 3 is significantly more complex as this covers indirect emissions from upstream activities such as purchasing parts, equipment and services which go to make a manufacture’s products as well as the recycling of the products at end of life. The implications of Scope 3 are highly important as the CO2 equivalent associated with these indirect sources is likely to be many times larger than Scope 1 and 2 added together.

To mitigate the effects of Scope 3, companies can examine the carbon status of their suppliers, selecting suppliers which are as close as possible to carbon neutral while evaluating their own downstream carbon emissions so that they can pass on very low CO2 liabilities, in turn, to their clients.

DMG Mori implements the implications of Scope 3 and has carried out detailed evaluation and research into these emissions using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol with verification by an independent auditor. It has already achieved overall reductions of 40 % in its emissions between 2019 and 2020. However, by far the biggest contributor to its Scope 3 CO2 is still the purchase of production materials so, evaluating the carbon neutral status of its suppliers is a priority. With the platform Integrity Next, DMG Mori aims to make the sustainability performance of its suppliers transparent and measurable and to derive targeted measures to help them achieve low carbon or carbon neutral supply.

Steve Finn, Managing Director of DMG Mori UK says, “DMG Mori’s approach to sustainability is holistic, is not limited to climate change and is geared towards a “DMG Mori Green Economy”. Our three initiatives, Green Machine, covering the CO2 neutral manufacture of our machines; Green Mode, energy efficient operation on our customers’ sites; Green Tech, Technology Excellence for green technologies, all work together to reduce our and our products’ carbon footprints while contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”

Dr. Maurice Eschweiler, Chief Representative at DMG Mori AG and responsible for sustainability says, “There is no such thing as too much commitment to sustainability — and that is why we will be continuing in 2022 exactly where we left off in 2021.”

https://en.dmgmori-ag.com/corporate-responsibility/climate-and-environmental-protection

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