GF Machining Solutions focuses on sustainability

Photo: G F Machining Solutions

Switzerland-based GF Machining Solutions (GFMS) has created three inter-connected pillars within its new Stategy 2025 as it aims to position itself as a leader in sustainability.

These pillars cover: sustainability within its product portfolio; climate and resource planning; and looking after people and their well-being. The first pillar requires constant innovation to ensure products and services have sustainable lifecycles; the second pillar translates into decoupling resource consumption from growth; and the third pillar has a focus on creating diverse, engaging and safe workplaces.

For Blaise Mahieu, head of quality and sustainability, this will be achieved through a global approach that has a much wider focus than just reducing energy consumption. GFMS has broken down the three pillars into specific sustainability objectives. As an example, the company has been able to reduce energy consumption — by over 30% — in the manufacture of its CUT P series of wire-EDM machines, compared to the manufacture of its previous generation of machines.

Committed to continuous improvement, the company is now aiming to go further and has targeted energy consumption savings of 45% by 2025. By this time the company plans to provide customers with significant and tangible environmental benefits across all of its new products.

Sustainability is achieved early on in the design stage — focused not just on machine construction but also on the machining process itself. Processes with adverse ‘environmental’ effects will be replaced by more efficient, ‘greener’ solutions and, wherever possible, GFMS will develop recycling processes and foster a circular economy. An example of this is the laser technology, which can replace the chemical etching process, eliminating the usage of hazardous substances.

Regarding the second pillar of the sustainability strategy, GFMS is also active in the reduction of resources within its facilities. On one hand, this includes undertaking diagnostics and forensic examination, across its different locations, to identify opportunities for energy saving. On the other hand, the company is investing in greener solutions, securing and sourcing greener electricity or creating its own energy. For example, in one of its Swiss-based manufacturing locations, up to 15% of electricity requirements will be met by solar energy.

The ultimate objective will be to become CO₂-neutral in the not-too-distant future. Overall, GFMS will contribute to Georg Fischer’s Science Based Target Initiative (based on the Paris Agreement) with an absolute 30% reduction of its scope 1 and 2 emissions by the year 2026.

The goal of the third pillar is to create safe workplaces by further reducing accident rates, encourage diversity, and making company premises pleasant for employees and attractive for new recruits.