The schedule included a tour of the plant and a round of talks with Dr. Jochen Weyrauch, CEO of Dürr AG, and Dr. Dietrich Birk, Managing Director of the Baden-Württemberg branch of the VDMA. In this context, the important role of the mechanical and plant engineering sector in achieving the climate targets was highlighted.
Dr. Jochen Weyrauch: “As a machine and plant manufacturer, our most effective leverage for reducing greenhouse gas emissions is to reduce the energy consumption of our machines and systems. Let’s look at the automotive industry, for example. A large number of automotive plants currently still have paint shops that are more than 15 to 20 years old. In these plants, almost half of the total energy required is attributable to the painting process. In particular, drying the car bodies and air-conditioning the paint booths are energy-intensive processes. At Dürr, we can already build paint shops today that consume less than half to just one third of the energy and can also be operated in a completely CO2 neutral manner. To achieve this, we rely on the intelligent use of energy as well as operation with green electricity instead of fossil fuels.”
The Dürr Group makes an equally important contribution to climate protection with its technologies for manufacturing sustainable products. Examples include machines and systems for the construction of climate-friendly timber houses, emission-free electric cars, and solar modules. The increasing demand from customers shows that the company is well positioned for the future with its focus on sustainability. At the same time, the Group can also achieve its own climate targets in this way. In 2022, around 80% of total greenhouse gas emissions were attributable to the use phase of the products sold. By 2030, these emissions are to be reduced by at least 15% (compared to 2019). The willingness of customers to invest in low-emission technologies is an important prerequisite for this. The Dürr Group is also committed to climate protection at its own sites and is investing in sustainable buildings, energy efficiency measures, and self-generated electricity by means of photovoltaic systems. The goal is to reduce operational emissions by at least 70% by 2030 (compared to 2019).
Andreas Jung, who is also Federal Vice Chairman of the CDU, said: “Our path is to advance climate protection through innovation, technology, and international partnership. We need mechanical engineering companies like Dürr who are committed to this goal. Politics must create the right incentives for energy efficiency and climate technology.” At the same time, he emphasized the career opportunities offered to young, climate-conscious people in mechanical engineering: “There are so many young people who want to advance climate protection. For them, it’s a great perspective to take up a career in a company like Dürr.”
