E_mg_GB_03_vorne-29_3_04

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54 Environmental Protection The mg Group acts responsibly in helping to shape the future. In doing so, it realizes that there is no inherent contradiction between environmental interests and commercial objectives. Its holistic corporate philosophy, which is geared to sustainability, aims to enhance shareholder value over the long term at the same time as meeting ecological criteria. And the company has set itself exacting standards here: many of the measures it has implemented to protect the environment go beyond what is required by law. Cutting-edge, production-integrated environmental protection, conservation of resources, integrated materials management, and comprehensive health and safety regulations are a matter of course at all companies in the mg Group engaged in manufacturing activities. Proactive environmental management Environmental management plays a key role at GEA’s production sites. For many years now, production waste here has been sorted and recycled wherever possible. Air filters, the preparation of process liquids, and storage tanks are used to minimize the impact on the environment. The effectiveness of these measures is evidenced by a number of environmental certifications to DIN EN ISO 14001 standard. Dynamit Nobel also regards environmental protection and safety as an integral part of its corporate philosophy. An outstanding example of this approach is the Duisburg-based Sachtleben Chemie. This Dynamit Nobel subsidiary's holistic management system views protection of the environment as being equally important as issues such as quality, health and safety. Contracting parties and suppliers are also integrated into this system and are required to comply with stringent environmental and safety standards. In addition, employees specially trained in matters of environmental protection and health & safety issues constantly monitor compliance with environmental standards. At the company’s site in Duisburg, for example, all significant emissions are measured around the clock as soon as they leave the chimneys using highly sensitive equipment, and the relevant values are forwarded immediately by data line to the national environmental agency. Environmentally friendly processes and products In addition to its proprietary production processes, the mg Group ensures that the services it provides to its customers comply with environmental protection standards. Its products and innovative processes combine efficiency with optimum environmental compatibility. Many of the technologies produced by GEA’s Mechanical Separation division are used to conserve and protect natural resources. Large decanters are used to thicken and dehydrate sewage sludge. These centrifuges are used, for example, in Changi, Singapore. One of the world’s largest and most modern sewage-treatment plants is being built here on a site covering 54 hectares. Once it has been completed in 2008, the plant will be able to purify roughly 800,000 m3 of water per day. GEA’s air-treatment business: air-conditioning using water This division responded to the growing market for small commercial and private air-conditioning systems by developing GEA acqua. This water-based and, therefore, environmentally friendly airconditioning system for offices or homes can be connected to the heating system and is easy for any heating engineer to install. Its market launch has been promising so far. This technology enables GEA to reach an additional customer segment: the end-consumer.
MANAGEMENT SHARE STRATEGY SPECIAL SECTION MANAGEMENT REPORT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FURTHER INFORMATION GEA’s spray dryers keep the air clean Economic Environment • Situation of the Company • Organization and Structure • Risk Report • Employees • Performance of the Subgroups • Outlook GEA’s spray dryers are also used to protect the environment. Although they are really intended to be used to produce powder, they are also used worldwide in power plants and waste incineration plants to clean flue gas. Absorption through spray drying is cheap, reliable and complies with the most stringent emissions protection legislation. Lurgi: technology for the production of alternative fuels Lurgi’s industrial plant is used to produce bio-diesel and bio-ethanol from renewable resources such as rape and grain. Both of these fuels are environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional gasoline and diesel and help to drastically cut carbon dioxide emissions. Lurgi is the global market leader in the construction of plant for the production of methanol from gas. Lurgi’s technologies are used to process the liquid inexpensively into environmentally friendly fuels and fuel additives. Lurgi Lentjes’ plant converts residual waste and other waste materials into valuable energy Lurgi Lentjes builds industrial plant that is used to efficiently convert residual waste and other waste materials into valuable energy. Proprietary flue-gas-cleaning processes ensure that statutory limits on emissions are not exceeded. Dynamit Nobel: innovative processes protect the environment The companies in the mg chemical group also make a valuable contribution to protecting the environment. Dynamit Nobel subsidiary Chemetall, for example, offers its customers innovative processes that are designed to provide better protection against corrosion of metal surfaces and do not use harmful heavy metals such as chrome. During the year under review, Dynamit Nobel’s plastics business started to modernize and retool all of the painting plants at its European sites in order to further cut the level of emissions. Research & Development Operating in an environment of perpetual competition, a technology-driven organization such as the mg Group relies on innovation for its future growth and commercial success. The company therefore invests heavily in research and development. This includes efficient innovation management and a forward-looking culture of innovation. As a result, mg technologies ag is one of the market and technology leaders in 90 percent of its businesses, generating almost half of its sales from products that are no more than three years old. The mg Group continued to spend a considerable amount on research and development in 2003, investing a204.8 million. This was a decrease of a33.3 million on the corresponding period of last year and accounted for 3.2 percent of total sales (roughly 3.5 percent in 2001/2002). It applied for 186 patents in 2003, having applied for 179 in 2001/2002. In 2003, GEA spent approximately a31 million – 1.2 percent of the GEA Group’s total sales – on proprietary research and development projects. Including development projects conducted in close cooperation with GEA customers and in connection with specific customer contracts, the total proportion of its sales spent by GEA on research and development comes to around five percent. Depending on business line, GEA already generates up to 70 percent of its sales from products that are less than three years old. 55
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Key Figures for the mg Group RESULT
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