"When it comes to eco-design, inner values count!"
Eco-design is the name given to product design at Atlas Copco Tools, which is increasingly taking the aspect of sustainability into account: In its industrial tools, the Group pays attention to the highest possible energy efficiency, best ergonomics as well as low total cost of ownership. In an interview with this magazine, Anna Sjörén talks about how the company is embedding the idea of sustainability in its products. The expert is responsible for safety, health, environmental protection and quality at Atlas Copco worldwide.
In terms of eco-design materials, freedom from pollutants, waste prevention and reusability are key. Atlas Copco manufactures in compliance with directives such as RoHS II (2011/65/EU, REACH (1907/2006, WEEE (2012/19/EU) and has triple certification according to ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001. This gives users the assurance of verified quality and safety.
What exactly does eco-design mean at Atlas Copco Tools?
Anna Sjörén: Industrial design used to be primarily about the external appearance of a product. In eco-design, on the other hand, it's the inner values of the tools and measuring instruments that count, so to speak. When it comes to materials, for example, freedom from pollutants, waste avoidance and recyclability are playing an increasingly important role. Above all, however, our designers influence the total cost of ownership through targeted design and material selection right from the planning stage. We focus on factors such as energy efficiency, ease of maintenance and ergonomics - long before the first screw is fitted. And we pay increasing attention to modularity in the components used.
What are the advantages of modularity in terms of sustainability?
Due to the intended interchangeability within certain product series, the number of possibly required wear and spare parts can be noticeably reduced for customers and us. And this then goes hand in hand with a more favourable "Total Cost of Ownership" over the entire service life of a tool.
How is ecodesign received by companies and users? Does it play a role at all in tool selection?
Until a few years ago, the energy requirements and durability of tools were not that important to many people. In the meantime, however, the tide has turned. Customers have become more sensitive about their ecological footprint. And they want to make concrete economic calculations before too-ling their jobs. We can help our customers with this.
What exactly does this help look like?
Our employees assess the requirements and can quickly make a basic recommendation - whether pneumatically or electrically driven tools are the better alternative. They also pass on valuable tips to their customers. For example, how the service life of the batteries of battery-powered tools can be increased by certain charging and positioning behaviour. Or what preventive maintenance can make the tools work much more accurately for longer.
But the life span of eco-design tools is probably also finite?
Sure. Even the most robust tool will reach the end of its life cycle one day. Then we are committed to energy-efficient and resource-saving recycling, which sets us apart from many of our market competitors.
Many companies are currently swimming on the sustainability wave. Do you think that eco-design of industrial tools can be a longer-term trend in the market?
For many companies, sustainability that has been literally engineered into the equipment has been merely a "nice to have", but not a hard procurement argument. When selecting a particular piece of equipment, many companies were only interested in getting the same equipment on the market as cheaply as possible on the basis of the bare key performance indicators. Important aspects such as total energy consumption or standby consumption then fell by the wayside. Yet these energy costs alone over the lifetime of a screwdriver, drill or grinder often amount to many times the purchase price of the tool! In the meantime, the economy of raw materials, a sharpened general environmental awareness and economic efficiency are no longer contradictory. The picture is changing visibly.
Atlas Copco is regularly recognized by the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as one of the most sustainable engineering companies in the world. What challenges does this pose for your work?
We are not resting on our laurels - we were even ranked first in 2016. Our corporate maxim is: "There is always an even better way." As the person responsible worldwide for safety, health, environmental protection and quality, I try to put this maxim into practice every day.
