Apprentices for Climate Protection in Action

On October 31, 2023, apprentices at Südpack were recognized for their efforts in environmental sustainability and energy conservation. These young talents were trained as “Energy Scouts” to proactively seek ways to maximize energy-saving potentials, improve resource efficiency, and reduce the company’s ecological footprint. A total of 61 apprentices from 14 companies in the Ulm, Alb-Donau, and Biberach Chamber of Commerce region participated in the “From Apprentice to Energy Scout” project this year. Apprentices from Südpack, who qualified for this role, claimed the top spot in a public vote with their presentation on “Optimizing Compressed Air Consumption in a Packaging Facility.”

This initiative, organized by the IHK Ulm, is part of the medium-sized business initiative aimed at enhancing energy efficiency within companies. The participating apprentices undergo workshops to gain awareness of energy-related fundamentals, study theory intensively, and develop an understanding of energy-saving possibilities both on a small and large scale. Their acquired knowledge contributes to a multi-week project, with results and improvement suggestions initially discussed internally by energy managers, trainers, and relevant departments. At the IHK’s final event, the Energy Scouts present their projects to a critical jury and the public.

At Südpack, five apprentices in their first and third years of electronics training, under the guidance of training manager Simon Köberle, qualified for the project. They identified two areas for potential energy savings within the company. Ahmad Tajik and Thomas Dautel focused on optimizing compressed air consumption in a packaging facility, proposing the use of a magnetic valve to control air supply only when the conveyor belt’s motor is active. Implementing this measure across all packaging facilities could result in a significant reduction in annual energy costs.

Another team, consisting of Felix Remmele, Adrian Wild, and Erin Okic, explored energy-saving potential in the area of blow film extrusion. They tested a new tempering device on a blow film machine, which demonstrated significantly more efficient energy usage compared to the old model. The device’s flow can be controlled based on demand through a frequency converter, eliminating the need for continuous operation at 100%. According to internal calculations, integrating such an energy-efficient tempering device could lead to a substantial reduction in annual energy costs for a blow film machine.

The apprentices from Südpack, along with 15 other participating groups, presented their projects at the IHK in Ulm on April 27, 2023. They secured the first-place spot in the public vote with their presentation on “Optimizing Compressed Air Consumption in a Packaging Facility,” earning them a voucher for the Blacklightarena 3D Blacklight Mini Golf.

Carolin Grimbacher, the managing partner of the company group, views the voluntary engagement of these young individuals as a crucial component of Südpack’s sustainability strategy. She emphasized that when young talents engage deeply with energy, climate protection, and sustainability, it widens the company’s foundation and creates a high level of acceptance for necessary measures. She expressed pride in their efforts, describing them as resourceful detectives who keep their eyes and ears open in their daily work, bringing new perspectives to the forefront of the company’s sustainability efforts.