Sustainability at OptiMel
Environmental and climate protection in our company
Ecological contribution of the pioneers
We want to take responsibility and make a contribution to the ecological development of the world of work. The industrial state of North Rhine-Westphalia in particular plays an important role in the success of climate protection in Germany and thus worldwide. In our view, concrete measures are more important than environmental certificates.
In 2019, we were part of the project "green instead of grey – industrial areas in transition", which was funded by the Global Nature Fund in cooperation with several municipalities. We will continue to implement the measures identified in this process for more ecological functionality and biodiversity on our company premises.
CO2 balancing
Since 2019, OptiMel has been certified as a company by Climate Partner.
We create annual CO2 balances, reduce where possible and support certified climate protection projects to offset our remaining emissions.
Our OptiMel ClimatePartner ID provides up-to-date and public information on all sustainability goals, climate protection projects and reduction measures in which OptiMel participates.
It is crucial for us not to take the easiest path, but to explicitly deal with our possibilities of influence in environmental and climate protection.
Through various measures, we have already been able to reduce our CO2 emissions by more than 25% compared to the base year 2019.
As a project, we have selected a combined program that protects sensitive marine ecosystems by collecting plastic waste in coastal regions and actively contributes to reducing global CO2 emissions through other measures. In addition, both activities contribute to improving the quality of life of the people in the respective areas.
Within 4 years, we have already been able to offset 438,816 kg of CO2 and support marine protection in addition to a climate protection project.
Sustainable materials in LPM
The LPM hot melts used for the Technomelt Moulding process are based on renewable raw materials, produced without harmful substances and other solvents and therefore have clean processing properties.
Henkel, the manufacturer of Technomelt products, publishes an annual sustainability report and is regularly awarded the EcoVadis Platinum Medal for outstanding achievements in sustainability management.
At OptiMel in our function as a distributor, we create annual CO2 balances for the traded amount of material, use opportunities for reduction if this is within our sphere of influence, compensate for the CO2 footprint through certified climate protection projects and can thus offer them as ClimatePartner certified.
Electromobility
It started in 2017 with the first vehicle. Gradually, the company switched to electric vehicles, which now charge at two company-owned wallboxes and are "refueled" with solar energy from our PV system or 100% green electricity.
PV system
Since 2014, we have been producing a large part of our electricity ourselves with our photovoltaic system - with a nominal output of 35,700 kWp, an annual production of approx. 30,345 kWh and thus approx. 21.2 tonnes of CO2 saved per year.
Since start of the plant in June 2014 to August 2024, more than 300,000 kWh have already been collected.
In addition, we purchase 100% green electricity from Polarstern.
OptiMel's climate protection at a glance
- Own photovoltaic system with 35,700 kWp since 2014
- Detailed preparation of CO2 reports since 2019
- Climate partner certified/climate-neutral since 2019
- 100% green electricity from renewable energies from polarstern since 2020
- Company cars converted to electric vehicles
- Accounting of our Technomelt products since 2020
- District heating from the local waste incineration plant since 2023
- Reuse of used packaging material
- Participation in "green instead of grey - commercial areas
- Gas from polarstern for our tool manufacturing sites
- Pollutant-free LPM hot melts made from renewable raw materials
- Support for certified climate protection projects
Our sustainability goals
But we don't want to stop at our previous work for environmental protection. OptiMel is constantly working to make processes in our company as resource-saving, environmentally friendly and sustainable as possible.
To this end, we want to achieve further savings, especially in the areas of transport, business travel and employee mobility, and reduce our emissions by at least another 10% by 2030.
