Sustainability

Engel – Consequently Sustainable in Product and Environment

Sustainability is one significant characteristic of the ENGEL-Group’s market appearance. With the commitment to sustainability the family company opts for the careful dealing with resources and the optimized and efficient utilization of its products and solutions. In the last years ENGEL has developed strategies, technologies and machines, which help to put the principle of sustainability into practise with efficiency. As a player on international markets ENGEL places emphasis on sustainability in customer relations, employee retention as well as education and knowledge transfer.

Energy efficiency
Clients trust ENGEL, because ENGEL is not only the world market leader in the production of injection moulding machines, but also pioneer in the field of technical application innovations and system solutions. ENGEL focuses on ecology in production and develops highly energy-efficient machines. Only by using state-of-the-art technologies ENGEL succeeds in the continuing optimization of the energy-efficiency of its products. ENGEL is the technology leader in manufacturing energy saving machines and systems. The technological integration of ecodrive-solutions by ENGEL is leading the way in the industry sector. The comparison of energy measuring with competitors’ machines at customers’ demonstrates that ENGEL has a clear, measurable advantage when it comes to the energy consumption of its machines. As world market leader in manufacturing large machines ENGEL focuses on light weight construction, avoids unnecessarily high driving power and develops solutions to increase mobility and reduces the energy consumption of vehicles. At all facilities worldwide ENGEL is concerned to obtain electricity from regenerative energy sources and to make the use of regenerative energies attractive to the employees as well especially by offering favourable purchasing conditions. Furthermore ENGEL applies renewable raw materials like WPC in development and production. To guarantee a high working efficiency and make work and make work easier for the employees ENGEL provides ergonomic workplaces and a friendly working atmosphere. This is also a way to establish long-term ties between the employees and the company.

Social sustainability
To support social sustainability ENGEL has made it to its business to back up social groups located in the area around the production sites and to create innovative, family-friendly working schedules and shift models with integrated flexible working hours, which special regards to carpools. In times of massive economical recessions ENGEL declares its support for establishing foundations, which should bridge the times of crisis and guarantee re-employment.

As knowledge and education count to the most important resources and as they are essential for the sustainable development, ENGEL has been supporting the cooperation with schools and universities over the years significantly. ENGEL supports the Privatgymnasium Baumgartenberg, which has its focus on the international education of its students, and binds student groups to the company on the basis of concrete projects. Other schools and educational institutions build up a strong connection to the enterprise by visiting the company or taking part in internship programmes or students’ workshops. This also creates an interest in mechanical engineering and plastics. ENGEL was a leading supporter of the creation of a chair of plastic engineering at the University of Linz and promoted its establishment. The integration of this chair for plastic engineering at the Johannes Keppler University - due to ENGEL’s support - has shown its success by various research contracts, which have already been carried out or are still in progress. One position as professor in the plastic engineering chair is filled by ENGEL product development director Prof. Dr. Georg Steinbichler. 

At universities ENGEL supports the academic teachings by specialized lectures and the allocation of diploma theses and provides the plastic and mechanical engineering courses at the same time with a high practical orientation. In this way the students get the possibility to get acquainted with the company. Every year summer trainees are admitted and they get the chance to explore the working world.

An efficient sustainability in the field of human-machine interface is gained by the fact, that the machine operation continues to be developed constantly under ergonomic points of view and with that the operation of machines becomes easier. Safety systems guarantee a secure running of machines and minimize dangerous impacts on the operator.

A bright, open and modern working environment at ENGEL-works, a voluntary premium, a sponsored canteen, which offers a wide range of meals that keep the demands on health and performance of the employees in mind, as well as an extensive offer of health campaigns and sport activities, should strengthen the lasting bonds between employees and ENGEL. In addition a medical doctor takes care of the employees’ physical well-being. Another concern of ENGEL is to give its employees the chance for gaining a further international development and self-improvement to facilitate the occupation in an international environment.

Light weight construction and medical technology with a promising future
To secure sustainability for the future, ENGEL continues to be innovative in the field of product development and deals intensively with industry sectors, which have a promising future like light weight construction and medical technology. These areas can be seen as the basis for a resource-protecting dealing with the use of transportation and the worldwide economical health care for all classes of population, where the use of plastics opens new chances and possibilities.

A particular strength of the ENGEL-group is its guaranteed future. As a family business with its focus on the market, the client and the product ENGEL invests its profits in the company’s plants and buildings as well as in the international subsidiaries to reinforce its market position. Due to the traditionally strong apprentice training the company is counteracting against the lack of skilled workers in the region. The ENGEL-apprentices belong to the best trained apprentices of the country. The support of innovations with a strong focus on Research & Development as well as patents guarantees the company to be considerably leading in knowledge. Furthermore ENGEL opts for a production-platform with a high standard quality. The ENGEL-plants worldwide and the development of machines on site minimize the high costs of transportation especially for large machines and offer the clients the advantage of using the machines and products fast and close to the market. Machines can be adapted quickly at the international plants, long delivery times and long ways of transportation can be avoided and even the set-up of ENGEL injection moulding machines and robots happens fast and in a way that protects resources.

Future and stability
The prospering, sustainable and economical acting of ENGEL bears fruits of success. ENGEL has been gaining market shares over years on continents like Europe, America and Asia; the company is present in the whole world and guarantees a rapid consultancy by its wide sales- and service network that efficiently uses local workforce and machines. In 2009 ENGEL was awarded with the Go International Award for its successful international commitment in Austria and for the effective crisis management during the world crisis of 2008/2009 ENGEL obtained the Pegasus-Award from the government of Upper Austria. ENGEL thus is confirmed to maintain its course.

ENGEL relies on the future, stability in the market appearance, sustainability with reference to its employees as well as client relations. In addition ENGEL puts its investment funds in the subsidiaries in a resource-protecting way and develops solutions, which are ecological, socially acceptable, health supporting and energetically optimizing.