#Sustainability

2012-04-19

A green Pioneer – Groz-Beckert wins Korea-EU Award 2011

The team from Groz-Beckert Korea with Mr. Gianpaolo Sciortino (CEO of Groz-Beckert Korea) and Mr. Eric Schöller (member of the Board of Management of Groz-Beckert KG) (c) 2012 Groz-Beckert

November 22, 2011 marked the occasion of the sixth "Korea-EU Industrial Cooperation Day". In time-honored tradition, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea, or EUCCK for short, conferred prestigious awards on leading personalities, ministries, institutions and companies. The "Green Pioneer" award went to Groz-Beckert, in recognition of the company's comprehensive commitment with regard to sustainability.

Traditionally good ties

Ever since they established diplomatic relations in 1963, South Korea and Europe have successfully developed positive political and economic ties. The free-trade agreement between the two parties, signed in July 2011, has placed the partnership on a new and even more successful footing. From July to November 2011 the relevant trading volume was successfully increased by 12 percent in relation to the previous year. Direct investments in South Korea by the EU also rose. Even in 2010 they were already in excess of 3 billion Euro - despite the serious recession facing Europe at that time.

EUCCK President Mr. Jean-Luc Valerio sees numerous advantages in recent the free trade agreement: "New opportunities have opened up with regard to products and services, and also led to unprecedented tariff deregulation and a dismantling of trade barriers."

The EUCCK Awards are awarded to personalities, ministries, institutions and companies who have earned special merit in promoting relations between South Korea and the EU. The awards are subdivided into two principal sections, whereby state authorities as well as EU companies receive awards in different categories.

The awards were presented by Mr. Kim Young Hwan - on behalf of Prime Minister Mr. Hwang-Sik Kim - and the ceremony was attended by 12 ambassadors from the European Union and 700 invited guests.

litespeed® and the textile-reinforced-concrete bridge: Strong arguments in favor of Groz-Beckert

For Groz-Beckert - or more precisely, for the distribution company Groz-Beckert Korea, in existence since 1999 - the "Green Pioneer" prize is a significant award. It proves once again the importance of the role played by ecological, economic and social responsibility at the company. In 2010 Groz-Beckert was awarded the KYOCERA Environment Prize.

The litespeed needle for high-performance circular knitting machines is especially impressive for its reduced needle shank thickness (c) 2012 Groz-Beckert

At Groz-Beckert, sustainability and energy efficiency are integral components of global strategy. The company provides its customers with intensive support in order to increase productivity and reduce energy and CO₂ emissions. One highlight in this regard is the litespeed® needle for high-performance circular knitting machines. It enables energy savings of up to 20 percent - without the need for any additional investments or modifications. Replacement of the existing knitting machine needles with litespeed® needles is all that is required. In Korea alone, seamless application of the litespeed® would result in a CO₂ reduction of 10,500 t. This roughly corresponds to the annual emissions caused by around 9,000 average cars each traveling 10,000 km a year.

These statistics and the needle's success naturally convinced the jury at the Korea EU Awards. The decisive factor in the decision to award Groz-Beckert the "Green Pioneer" award, however, was another of the company's projects: the world's first ever long-span textile-concrete-reinforced bridge, in Albstadt-Lautlingen, Germany. Groz-Beckert played a major role in its development and construction. Knitted textile fabrics form the core of the bridge, creating the basis for weight and material reduction as well as for longer service life in relation to conventional structural designs. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea (EUCCK) and partners from the construction industry are very interested in this project and want to adapt it for Korea.

Sustainability Remains a Key Topic

With the Korea-EU Award 2011 in the "Green Pioneer" category, Groz-Beckert has received one of the most prestigious awards in existence for European companies in Korea. The company's commitment to products and projects representing an uncompromising combination of economy and ecology continues unchanged.

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