Bitzer paint plant to focus on sustainability
20th June 2024
GERMANY: Compressor manufacturer Bitzer is expanding its facilities at its Rottenburg-Ergenzingen factory with the addition of a new 2,500m2 paint plant.
Members of the Bitzer management board laid the foundation stone last week for the new building, which is scheduled to go into operation in 2026.
In designing the new paint plant, particular attention has been given to saving resources, energy efficiency and environmental considerations. These include minimal paint usage, exclusive use of waste heat and electricity supplied from natural resources.
The Rottenburg-Ergenzingen factory, which produces screw and scroll compressors, already benefits from sustainable energies such as photovoltaic systems on the roof as well as its own wind turbine.
“When planning the new painting plant, we set ourselves the goal of reducing the use of resources per product by more than 20%,” commented Kai Schuppler, the site’s plant manager and vice president fulfilment EMEA.
The paint shop will include a dry spray wall with rotating brushes to drastically reduce filter waste.
It will also be equipped with an exhaust air purification system with an adsorption wheel to ensure a reduction in VOC emissions of 87% using regenerative after-burning. This system does not require any additional heating energy, as it processes the exhaust air from the paint booths, evaporation zones and paint dryers in such a way that autothermal operation is possible.
“With this system, Bitzer is relying on new and future-oriented surface technology,” said independent system planner Peter Herbold. “Process and quality assurance are the highest priorities in the new system. In addition, the minimisation of VOC emissions, paint quantities and filter material represents another step towards a sustainable future of production.”
