At Koenig & Bauer, environmental aspects and compliance with high quality and safety standards have been addressed consistently for many years. Energy and resource efficiency, both during the manufacturing process and subsequent operation of our machines, is factored in during the development and design stages. The minimisation of noise, dust, odour and CO2 emissions in production and at the product user’s facility is another important goal. Ecologically compatible substrates and consumables are used in the printing, finishing and conversion processes. The suitability for recycling is a similarly relevant factor when assessing the environmental impact of our products, and that is why we continue to rely on components made from fully recyclable steel and grey cast iron.

To underpin our efforts and to help establish comprehensive standards, we have joined a number of networks that are active in this field. Overall, we view sustainability and climate protection as a part of our responsibility towards future generations. And even today, this opens up any number of specific opportunities to place new products, equipment options and services on the market, and thereby differentiate ourselves from our competitors. 

Reduced Carbon Footprint and Higher Energy Efficiency

One key focus at Koenig & Bauer is directed at energy-saving technologies to reduce CO2 emissions in print production. The company has various product options with energy-efficient consumption in its portfolio to enable optimisation of the drying process, which is one of the most energy-intensive processes for a print company. The VariDryBlue drying technology, an in-house development, is an extremely efficient solution. The energy input required for the drying of water-based dispersion coatings can be reduced by up to 30%. How is that achieved? By recirculating the partially saturated hot air between the dryer modules. For UV processes, HR and LED dryer modules for interdeck and final drying are available as high-performance, but nevertheless energy-saving alternatives to conventional UV drying systems.

Enhancing Resource Efficiency

Koenig & Bauer offers a range of systems and equipment options that enable our customers to maximise resource efficiency in their printing operations. Quality measuring and control systems, preset functions, inspection systems and other equipment options can be used to reduce waste and shorten makeready times.

Minimisation of Emissions

Alongside technical solutions and systems to raise energy and resource efficiency, at Koenig & Bauer a focus is also placed on measures to minimise emissions. For example, we are resolute in our promotion of low-alcohol and alcohol-free offset printing, the use of biodegradable dampening additives and reduced powder consumption. Our users can choose different equipment options to minimise dust, odours, noise emissions and ink mist. Special roller coatings enable printing with significantly reduced alcohol concentrations, or even the full substitution of alcohol in the printing process. This eliminates odours in the printshop, and working conditions are improved accordingly. The Emission Extraction System EES has additional benefits for UV printing and finishing. Unpleasant odours are avoided at the printer’s main workplace at the press delivery, and dust is removed at the same time. Other extraction facilities to minimise ink mist in the area of the inking units may also be a beneficial choice for UV printers. These and many other systems and technologies implemented by Koenig & Bauer are indicative of the decisive role that emission reduction plays in the development of our machines and equipment. It was this spirit of innovation which, in 2000, then led to our Rapida presses becoming the first sheetfed offset presses in the world to be awarded the eco-certificate “Emission-tested” by the occupational insurance association responsible for the German printing and paper-processing industries.

Environment-friendly, Recyclable Consumables

The subject of migration-safe printing inks for food packaging is another example of our active environmental policy. The RotaJET platform has been certified by the International Association of the Deinking Industry for the seamless integration of its print products into the existing system for paper recycling. The polymer ink RotaColor, which was further improved by Koenig & Bauer, successfully strikes a balance between excellent deinking* properties on the one hand and maximum water resistance on the other. Furthermore, the food-safe water-based inks used by Koenig & Bauer Durst for its digital print process meet the lifecycle-based environmental performance criteria defined in the UL ECOLOGO standard 2801 – 2012 (Standard for Sustainability for Printing Inks). Certification is granted after an evaluation of various criteria such as energy use, waste disposal and toxic substance reduction over the whole product lifetime.

_{*the ability to separate ink and substrate in the recycling process}

Carbon-neutral Printing

Environment protection is often also a question of proper compensation. Where carbon-neutral printing is concerned, we have a competent partner at our side in ClimatePartner. The Footprint Manager, which can be accessed from the latter’s online portal, permits a detailed calculation of the CO2 emissions attributable to a print product, and allows these emissions to be offset by providing financing for climate protection projects at the press of a button. Numerous certified carbon offset projects in accordance with internationally recognised standards such as the Gold Standard, VCS and Social Carbon are available to choose from. Participating print companies are permitted to use the “climate-neutral printing” label to differentiate themselves on the market.