The opening of its new assembly hall at its headquarters in Schwaigern, Germany, will expand Söhner Kunststofftechnik GmbH’s production and assembly capacities for its plastic packaging solutions. Two large assembly areas with associated logistics, as well as offices, recreation rooms and sanitary facilities for employees, cover an area of around 5,000 square meters. “The new hall’s construction has enabled us to bring previously separate assembly areas together and so optimize our work processes and material flow,” explains Dr Theo Doll, Managing Partner of Söhner Kunststofftechnik. He adds: "Centralization will allow us to respond even more flexibly to the demand for complex packaging solutions in the future and shorten production times."
Natural light, district heating and solar energy for sustainable assembly lines
The packaging manufacturer invested around €8 million and placed huge importance on good working conditions and sustainability when planning and building the hall. Rooflights not only provide natural daylight and a pleasant atmosphere, they also save energy. The hall lighting exclusively uses LED technology and is adjusted depending on daylight and staff levels. Heat and hot water are generated using district heating from a nearby biogas facility. The installation of a photovoltaic system on the flat roof is also planned for later this year. With a peak output of 620 kilowatts, the system is expected to generate up to 620,000 kWh of electricity in the future and thus cover the hall's annual energy requirements. The assembly hall thus helps the packaging manufacturer meet its growth and sustainability goals in equal measure.
