July 14, 2020
Fresenius Medical Care in Schweinfurt joins environmental pact of Germany’s Bavaria state
Fresenius Medical Care, the world’s leading provider of dialysis products and services, is joining through its Schweinfurt facility a Bavarian government initiative that aims to show how a strong economy is fully compatible with a healthy environment. The “Umweltpakt Bayern” (Bavaria environmental pact) includes a range of discussion and working groups where companies and public authorities in the German federal state can exchange views and expertise on topics such as climate, energy consumption and the sustainable use of resources.
In these forums, Fresenius Medical Care will be contributing know-how and experience in environmental management gained at its plant and development facility in Schweinfurt, a city in northern Bavaria about 120 kilometers (75 miles) east of Frankfurt.
Through efficient environmental and energy management based on the ISO standards 14001 and 50001, the Schweinfurt facility has steadily reduced its environmental impact while continuing to offer a safe, healthy workplace for all employees. By converting from oil to district heating, total CO2 emissions were cut by more than 30 percent. Measures including the systematic conversion to LED lighting and the use of energy-efficient injection molding machines reduced energy consumption, while waste material from the injection molding process is now recycled.
“Here in Schweinfurt we’re proud of our contribution to greater environmental protection,” said Andreas Völker, Plant Manager for Fresenius Medical Care in Schweinfurt. “As part of the Bavaria environmental pact, we are committing to the sustainable production of our life-sustaining medical devices. And the pact offers a valuable platform for exchanging information on technical issues related to environmental protection by companies.”
Opened in 1979, the Schweinfurt facility is Fresenius Medical Care’s most important research and production facility for dialysis machines and other medical devices. The company currently has more than 1,300 employees at the site, about a third of them in research and development.