Environmental awareness

We maintain a policy of careful assessment of all environmental aspects and appropriate communication with all stakeholders, as well as a programme of continuous improvement in environmental protection for the whole of Schwer Fittings GmbH. As a supplier of high-quality stainless steel pipe connections and fittings, customers and employees value and trust our activities. To ensure that we continue to fulfil this high level of responsibility in the future, we have laid down our environmental guidelines in the form of this environmental policy for our corporate activities.

Area of responsibility

Schwer Fittings GmbH is committed to the continuous improvement of operational environmental protection in addition to compliance with its own and legal regulations. We endeavour to fulfil all environmental requirements, to protect and conserve resources and to avoid environmental pollution.

We make all relevant information on the potential environmental impact of our activities available to employees, the general public and the authorities. When defining our policy, we take into account the environmental aspects associated with our operations in the broadest sense. The company is responsible for the environmental impact of our products and operations in terms of raw material sourcing, recycling and waste disposal.

ISO 14001 Environmental Management

This certificate attests to our commitment to environmentally friendly operations, resource conservation, and the reduction of our environmental impact.

Our primary goal is to use resources efficiently and minimize energy waste.

Umweltpolitik / Environmental policy Umweltzertifikat / Certificat

eMail:

[email protected]

Sustainability at Schwer Fittings

Products & Materials

Stainless steel is an extremely durable material that is nearly 100% recyclable. Thanks to its corrosion resistance, it ensures a long service life and infrequent replacement cycles.

State-of-the-art production

Over 100 machining centers with maximum energy efficiency and state-of-the-art oil recovery systems.

Short transport distances

Our European production facilities enable short shipping distances within Europe.

Raw materials

We source most of our raw materials from Europe. The benefits: short transport distances, high quality standards, and stable supply chains.

Supply Chain Strategy

Our suppliers are evaluated based on quality, environmental, and compliance criteria. Long-term partnerships, transparency, and responsible sourcing are at the heart of our supply chain strategy.

Regular audits

Regular audits and efficiency measures help us further reduce our energy consumption and make optimal use of resources.

Energy saving

20.8 % energy savings since 2022

Solar systems

With our solar power systems, we harness the power of the sun, conserve valuable resources, and reduce CO₂ emissions in a sustainable way.

Vehicles

Electric vehicles are used in warehousing and logistics.

Complaint rate

Complaint rate < 0.05 %

A project that connects

What happens when people with heart, commitment and team spirit come together?

Our wildflower meadow is now a real symbol of sustainability and togetherness: a 2 x 2 meter wild bee nesting aid with around 5000 entrance holes - a valuable habitat for many wild bee species and insects

A joint project that we realized together with Lebenshilfe Rottweil: A project that connects: lived inclusion, sustainable action and inspiring collaboration.

Environmental policy

Principles of action

Our policy commits us to:

a) continuously improving our management system to achieve improvements in all environmental performance,
b) complying with environmental legislation and standards,
c) implementing this policy through effective communication to staff,
d) setting and reviewing environmental targets and objectives as part of the formal annual management review,
e) communicating this policy publicly.

In accordance with this policy, we are committed to seeking certification of our environmental management system to ISO 14001 by an independent organisation.

Environmental metrics

To ensure the effectiveness of our efforts, we collect comprehensive environmental metrics on an annual basis. The continuous review of these indicators to identify opportunities for optimization is a long-term goal of our environmental management.

Further development

As a global company, we make a special effort to encourage our suppliers and business partners to improve and further develop their environmental protection practices.

Commitment and communication

The company is committed to training and employing qualified employees to ensure the necessary expertise. Appropriate training courses are held throughout the company to familiarise our staff with environmentally conscious and resource-conserving working methods and to motivate them in this regard.

Energy and resource management

Wherever possible, the company will:

a) Utilise energy as efficiently as possible,
b) Reduce environmentally harmful emissions and waste.

Availability of the policy

This environmental policy is known to all employees of Schwer Fittings GmbH and is not only regarded as a formality, but is lived with conviction. It is available to our valued customers and business partners at any time via our company website.

Environmental protection and promotion

The company is committed to preserving the natural areas of the company premises in order to protect ecologically significant habitats. We will develop emergency preparedness and hazard mitigation plans for potential environmental impacts on our site.

The environmental policy forms the framework for defining and evaluating our environmental objectives and their individual targets. They are documented, tracked and comprehensively analysed. We continuously determine their effectiveness through environmental audits. Our environmental performance and the associated environmental indicators are regularly reviewed and evaluated.

The continuous improvement of operational environmental protection is a major part of our corporate philosophy. We also endeavour to influence the improvement and further development of environmental protection at our suppliers and contractual partners.

Stainless Steel Products

Material used: Stainless steel

Conserves resources thanks to its long service life

Stainless steel is an extremely sustainable material. It has a long service life and requires only low maintenance costs. This reduces the need for frequent replacement and therefore the consumption of resources.

High corrosion protection

Stainless steel offers a high level of corrosion protection. This means that no additional, environmentally harmful coatings are necessary.

Reduction of CO2 emissions

By using stainless steel in various applications, CO2 emissions can be reduced over the entire product life cycle.

Recyclability

Stainless steel can be recycled without any loss of quality.

Manufacturing of products

Own production facilities, short transport routes

a) Schwer Fittings produces in its own production facilities in Europe.
b) The raw materials for production are of European origin.
c) The modern machines used are efficient and consume less electricity and oil.

Energy consumption

a) Schwer Fittings has its own solar systems. Renewable energies supplement the demand.
b) The heating systems work with eco-heating materials (e.g. pellets).
c) Regular energy audits are carried out with external partners in order to manage and reduce energy consumption.

Environmentally friendly packaging

a) The ordered goods leave our premises in cardboard boxes that have been produced regionally.
b) Reusable packaging is requested from suppliers, e.g. cardboard boxes, mesh boxes, etc.

FAQ Sustainability at Schwer Fittings

What does sustainability mean for Schwer Fittings?

Sustainability for us means using resources responsibly, manufacturing long-lasting products and making transportation routes as efficient as possible. We take care to combine ecological, social and economic aspects. High-quality materials, efficient processes and a transparent supply chain create long-term added value for our customers, employees and the environment.

What are Schwer Fittings' long-term sustainability goals?

We continuously monitor our water- and energy consumptionäsearch, invest in energy-efficient production facilities and constantly optimize our use of materials. At the same time, we promote a responsible, healthy and safe working environment for our employees. Sustainability is firmly anchored as a strategic corporate goal. Specific sustainability goals are defined internally on an annual basis, corresponding measures are regularly reviewed and evaluated as part of the annual management review and presented to top management.

Is there a sustainability strategy?

Yes. Our sustainability measures and progress are documented on an ongoing basis and developed further together with the management. The basis for this is our environmental management in accordance with ISO14001.

How does the company ensure sustainable production?

We use modern production technologies, recyclable materials, internal reusable packaging and short transportation routes. Regular audits and efficiency measures help us to further reduce our energy consumption and make optimum use of resources.

How sustainable are stainless steel fittings in principle?

Stainless steel is a durable and almost 100% recyclable material. Due to its corrosion resistance, it ensures a long service life and low replacement cycles - a significant contribution to reducing resource consumption and waste

What grades of stainless steel does Schwer Fittings use?

We process high-quality stainless steel alloys such as 1.4301, 1.4404 or 1.4571. They are characterized by a very high corrosion- and temperaturebestäand therefore contribute significantly to the longevity of our products.

Are our products recyclable?

Yes, our stainless steel products can be fully recycled without any loss of quality. Material residues from our production are collected by type and consistently fed into the recycling cycle. Note: This statement refers to pure stainless steel connections. Components such as elastomer seals, actuators or other non-metallic components must be disposed of separately in accordance with the relevant operating instructions and applicable waste regulations

How long is the service life of the products?

Thanks to precise workmanship and high-quality materials, our products are often in use for many years or even decades, even under demanding conditions. This reduces maintenance costs and resource consumption.

What measures does Schwer Fittings take to reduce CO₂?

We are constantly reducing our energy consumption, using modern machinery, optimising internal transport routes and minimising waste. We are also working on a project to enable us to provide CO₂ product data in future.

Are renewable energies used?

Yes. A growing proportion of our energy consumption comes from renewable energy sources.
• In the last three years, we have been able to save 20.80 % of energy.
• We already cover around 15 % of our energy requirements from renewable sources.

Are there CO₂ calculations for products?

We are currently developing an internal system to provide standardized CO₂ product data in the future.

How does Schwer Fittings ensure the sustainability of the supply chain?

Our suppliers are evaluated according to quality, environmental and compliance criteria. Long-term collaboration, transparency and responsible procurement are at the heart of our supply chain strategy.

Are suppliers evaluated according to environmental criteria?

Ja. Umweltzertifizierungen, Herkunft des Materials, Ressourceneffizienz sowie Compliance‑Nachweise sind feste Bestandteile unserer Lieferantenbewertung.

Where does Schwer Fittings source its raw materials from?

We source our raw materials mainly from Europe. The advantages: short transportation routes, high quality standards and stable supply chains.

What sustainability certifications does Schwer Fittings have?

Our environmental management system is certified in accordance with ISO 14001:2015.

Does Schwer Fittings comply with EU regulations such as REACH or RoHS?

Yes, all our materials comply with REACH and RoHS. We will be happy to provide the relevant certificates if required.

Are our materials PFAS-free?

PFAS-containing materials are used in various product areas at Schwer Fittings. These include:
• hoses,
• assemblies with elastomer seals made of FKM or FFKM,
• seal packings and components made of PTFE or PFA,
• as well as some operating fluids, for example certain lubricants.
These substances are used where they are technically necessary - for example for high temperature resistance, chemical resistance or tightness in critical applications.
We follow regulatory developments on PFAS very closely and regularly update our internal assessments and official statements to remain compliant at all times and offer our customers maximum transparency.

How is production waste recycled at Schwer Fittings?

Material waste from production is collected by type and completely returned to the recycling cycle.

How does Schwer Fittings take climate change into account?

Climate change is having a global impact on production processes, supply chains and environmental requirements. Schwer Fittings assesses these developments comprehensively and systematically both in quality management in accordance with ISO 9001 and in environmental management in accordance with ISO 14001.

We regularly analyze the risks and opportunities arising from climate-related changes, such as fluctuating raw material availability, increasing energy requirements or new legal requirements. These findings flow directly into our strategic goals, planning processes and operational corporate management.

We also make an active contribution to climate protection:
• by continuously reducing our energy consumption,
• by investing in energy-efficient technologies,
• by using short transportation routes within Europe,
• and by using resource-saving and low-emission production processes.

At the same time, we closely monitor potential climate-related effects on our supply chains and our business operations in order to react promptly and ensure security of supply for our customers.