SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION
In our production facilities in southern Brazil and in Dortmund, we have already taken many steps in the area of sustainability and we have many more ideas for the future. As part of our new building at the Dortmund location we have recently implemented a number of exciting projects, which we would like to present to you here.
Solar Power
The process of sole production with our MPU foam requires all the moulded parts, i.e. the baking moulds for the sole, to be permanently heated so that the chemical reaction of the raw material components can take place. This process is usually very electricity-intensive. After an in-depth development phase and together with an equipment manufacturer we have now been able to successfully use solar energy to control the temperature of these moulded parts. For this purpose, around 500 m² of solar panels have been installed on the roof of the production halls through which a liquid flows on a permanent basis and which thus enable the heat of the sun to be absorbed. This energy is passed on to modern heat exchangers which then heat the moulded parts directly. This solution is highly efficient and unique in the shoe industry.
Water consumption
All ATLAS locations in both Brazil and Germany use rainwater to operate the toilet facilities. In Dortmund there are for this purpose a total of two underground tanks with a capacity of 8,000 litres each. The rainwater from the roof areas is fed into these tanks, stored and passed on to the points-of-use of the toilet facilities via a separate pipe network. In this way we save thousands of litres of fresh water every year.
Energy Power
Since mid-2020 a 5,000 m² photovoltaic system has been installed on our roof surfaces. This system has a peak output of 750 kW/h and can therefore cover 100% of our electricity requirements at the Dortmund location on sunny days. Any excess energy is fed into the city's power grid. This investment of around half a million euros enables us to use solar energy sustainably and over the long term for our production machines.
Heating system
In the sometimes cold winter months, heating our production, storage and office areas is imperative. After many years of gas-fired condensing technology, we have opted for a change in technology in the heating systems. The complex system is based on an energy mix of air-source heat pumps and solar technology, which produce the necessary energy without using fossil fuels. This energy is stored in a 30,000 litre geothermal storage tank as warm water at a temperature of 10-20° Celsius. The water temperature is then raised to approx. 40° Celsius using high-performance heat pumps and the underfloor heating and air heaters are fed with this warm water. This investment is also for the long term and will provide “green heating” for many years to come.