Even more efficient energy use – PHW Group implements energy management system

Rechterfeld, 30 March 2012. Commercial success coupled with environmental protection: it is the duty of every sustainably-oriented company to use energy resources efficiently and intelligently. In response to this, the PHW Group has now introduced a energy management system certified according to DIN EN 16001:2009 in all of its plants and achieved outstanding results. “The aim of our energy policy is to reduce our specific energy consumption long-term, to increase the energy efficiency of our internal processes, and to optimise the latter still further while taking financial and technical potential into account,” explains PHW Chairman Peter Wesjohann.  

Thanks to the new energy management system, it will take a minimum of energy to guarantee the PHW Group’s specific commercial performance in future. The system includes pinpointing potential energy savings, increasing the transparency of energy-relevant processes, and reducing CO2 emissions.  

Energy-saving targets exceeded

“Frequently, it’s minor changes to the production process that turn out to have huge energy-saving potential,” explains Peter Wesjohann further. In recent months, the facilities at all major PHW/WIESENHOF plants have been thoroughly inspected and examined for ways in which to achieve a permanent reduction in energy consumption. Energy teams drawn from different departments – Technology, Controlling, Quality Assurance, and the Managing Board – were created especially for the purpose. All of the data was systematically recorded and analysed. The programs necessary for realising the selected energy-saving targets had already been installed. As a result, the energy performance of an individual plant can now be subject to on-going analysis and continual improvement. 

“The knowledge of every single staff member is a major factor in the process. Forms are now available in our plants for employees to fill out with their ideas and energy-saving suggestions – to enable our business to be as energy efficient as possible,” the energy management representatives are at pains to point out. 

All PHW plants have now been awarded DIN EN 16001:2009 certification. Reason enough for the energy management representatives from the individual plants to meet at PHW headquarters in Rechterfeld for an initial project analysis and an exchange of opinions. Ideas which had already been implemented were presented and analysed with the aim of heightening energy efficiency awareness among those in attendance, as well as pinpointing new scope for potential action. 

Committed to sustainability 

The responsible use of natural resources has been one of the PHW Group’s top priorities for years: WIESENHOF has been using green electricity – hydroelectrically sourced – since 2011 for zero CO2 emissions. This has allowed WIESENHOF to reduce its CO2 emissions by almost 60,000 tonnes per annum.  

WIESENHOF has also adopted a pioneering role when it comes to the use of alternative fuels. The company’s lorry fleet runs on a self-produced biofuel made from poultry fat. This saves WIESENHOF a further 74,000 tonnes of CO2 a year. 

In 2010, WIESENHOF was the first company in the poultry business to record and certify greenhouse gases occurring as a result of poultry farming. This productrelated carbon footprint presents the greenhouse gas emissions that are directly and indirectly associated with the product in question. The WIESENHOF result: the production of a kilo of chicken currently creates greenhouse gas emissions equal to approximately 1.8 kg.