Sustainable Process Solutions
Businesses across all industries are increasingly recognizing the need to work together to address issues such as global warming and climate change, the scarcity of raw materials, and the importance of good working conditions. As a member of the Hosokawa Group, we are actively focusing on sustainability and circularity in multiple ways: both within our own operational processes at our facilities, and – through our ongoing R&D work – for our existing and future customers.
For instance, as outlined below, we contribute to reducing energy consumption and the carbon footprint, improving productivity, recycling raw materials and enabling waste streams to be reused.
Sustainability at our own facilities
Hosokawa Micron takes various measures to promote sustainability and circularity within the organization, including:
- Reducing our energy consumption through solutions such as LED lighting and a centralized compressed air system.
- Using only 100% sustainably generated Dutch wind power, certified with the Groen Geregeld label from SMK (Stichting Milieukeur).
- Lowering our ecological footprint by modernizing our CNC machinery, optimizing internal logistics, and improving our supply chain network.
- Continuously optimizing our Environmental Management System.
Tailor-Made Approach for Customers
Our 'total solution' approach is a key pillar of our mindset within the Hosokawa Group. We work closely with every customer to explore how we can help them to improve the sustainability and circularity of their existing – and planned – processes. Many of our machines have a technical useful life of more than 30 years, so in some cases it can make sense to retrofit the customer's existing equipment with a newer component (e.g. a new IE3-class electric motor) to achieve 'quick wins' in terms of energy savings and efficiency. In all cases, we take a holistic view of the steps in our customers' current and planned production processes to ensure that they are optimally aligned from the perspective of productivity, sustainability, return on investment (ROI) and total cost of ownership (TCO).
Technological Innovations / R&D
Sustainability and circularity are key considerations in our ongoing R&D work. We are continually investing in the development of equipment, production processes and integrated solutions that help our customers meet their own Corporate Sustainable Responsibility (CSR) objectives. Examples of recent innovations include:
- The use of a Hosokawa continuous drying system being more energy-efficient than spray drying.
- Continuous innovation of our drying systems to reduce the amount of energy lost or to enable the excess heat to be recovered and reused.
- Further increasing the mixing line capacity, such as by optimizing the product flow and line cycle times.
- Use of IoT technology to tap into the sustainability benefits of 'smart' control. Additionally, this enables us to offer remote service, which not only saves time and money but also reduces the carbon footprint by eliminating much of the travel involved in routine maintenance and repairs.
Sustainable Customer Solutions
With our technologies, we help customers improve sustainability and circularity within their production processes. Some examples:
- Alternative Proteins
Alternative protein sources, such as plant-based ingredients or insects, offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional protein sources but are often temperature-sensitive and difficult to process. Hosokawa’s DMR flash drying system quickly and efficiently dries these proteins into powder while consuming 10-20% less energy than conventional ring dryers, contributing to sustainability and a lower environmental footprint.
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- Energy Performance Materials
With advanced technologies for various production processes, the Hosokawa Group helps battery manufacturers develop more compact batteries with higher energy density, longer lifespan, and more efficient charging. This not only reduces their ecological footprint but also lowers costs.
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- Upcycling of Residual Streams
Our energy-efficient dryers enable the valorization of residual streams in the food industry. This includes recovering valuable nutrients and high-quality raw materials from by-products generated in meat, fish, dairy, vegetable, and fruit processing, as well as from bakeries, breweries, and biorefinery installations.
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- Recovered Carbon Black
The Hosokawa Group has developed an innovative process for the sustainable recovery of Carbon Black from used car tires after pyrolysis. This recycled material can then be reused in the production of new tires.
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Sustainable Systems
Hosokawa Micron develops powder processing systems with a focus on energy efficiency, process optimisation and long-term operational performance.
Sustainable process technologies
Hosokawa Micron B.V. is committed to sustainable and responsible process technology. Our ISO 14001 certification covers key environmental aspects such as air, soil, energy, waste, water, noise and hazardous substances. With an EcoVadis Silver Medal, we rank among the top 3% of EcoVadis-rated companies in the special machinery industry.
