Schmidt + Clemens: Focus on sustainability

Lindlar, June 26, 2024. For the first time, the Lindlar-based stainless steel specialist is taking part in the "Green Steel World" trade fair and conference in Essen. The family-owned company is the global market leader in pipe systems for the petrochemical industry and occupies a leading position in other sectors.

"For us as a family business, sustainability is a key focus, we think in terms of generations and the topic is firmly rooted in our DNA," says Jan Schmidt-Krayer, Managing Partner of Schmidt + Clemens (S+C). "We have been operating one of the largest research and development departments in the industry for many years. Our metallurgical knowledge, our expertise in our own processes and our customers' processes make us a strong innovator. In this way, we can help to use the earth's resources more sustainably," Schmidt-Krayer continues.

At the Group's headquarters in Lindlar near Cologne, Germany, the company is investing sustainably in the future. In order to minimize its CO2 footprint, the company operates electric melting furnaces, has the first electrically heated centrifugal casting plant in trial operation and is expanding its photovoltaic capacities. Every opportunity to save energy is being exploited.

"In our "INNOVATION NOW" ideas portal, we are constantly calling on our colleagues to contribute their ideas on how we can work even more sustainably," says Innovation Manager Lars Niemczewski. "With many small and large ideas, we can make our locations even more sustainable. We have been using the ideas portal internationally since May in the Czech Republic, with Spain to follow in October."

However, the company specializes in helping its customers to reduce emissions. The steam cracker of the future was developed as part of a project funded by the European Union. The developers from Lindlar were also involved. They came out on top with their patented "SCope Fusion HT E" solution. This involves inserting an inner profile into centrifugally cast tubes in order to increase the inner surface area. This increased inner surface significantly improves heat transfer and achieves better heat mixing through the turbulence of the feedstock. This enables S+C's global customers to significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels. "For us, however, this is only one possible approach to reducing greenhouse gases," reports Niemczewski. "Electrically heated ovens are another approach."

In April, BASF, SABIC and Linde inaugurated the world's first demonstration plant for large-scale electrically heated steam cracker furnaces. This technology has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 90 percent compared to conventional steam crackers.

Platforms such as EcoVadis help to achieve and manage sustainability goals. "We use EcoVadis to improve our sustainability performance," reports Niemczewski. "At the beginning of 2024, we were awarded the EcoVadis bronze medal. An incentive for us to continue working on sustainability."

S+C is a leader with its stainless steel products and solutions. In addition to its headquarters in Germany, the company also manufactures static and centrifugal castings in Spain, the Czech Republic and Malaysia. The company has already received several awards for its innovative strength.

S+C also takes a special approach to sustainability in its personnel policy. "We regularly celebrate company anniversaries. It is not uncommon for us to celebrate 25, 40 or even 50 years of service," says Jan Schmidt-Krayer. "It is important to me to retain our employees in our family business in the long term, and we invest a lot in this".

S+C runs its own academy for training and further education, has a company kindergarten and its own gym. Regular company events are organized and the company constantly encourages its employees to share their experiences on the employer review portal Kununu. "Employee feedback helps us to further increase our attractiveness as an employer," says Niemczewski. "Also a contribution to sustainability".

The Green Steel World trade fair offers the company the ideal platform to discuss the topic of sustainability with business partners. "We want to engage in direct dialog to show how we are helping to use the earth's resources more sustainably," says Niemczewski.

Publication is free of charge. Please send a voucher copy.