Digitisation shapes and changes the way we live, work, communicate and produce. It is the central transformative force that offers important solutions for the greatest challenges of our time – including the issue of energy efficiency. Today, digital technologies enable companies within the printing and packaging industry to measure and visualise energy consumption and realise potential savings. Koenig & Bauer’s energy management is an industry-optimised solution for all these tasks. But what makes this approach to energy management so highly promising?

It is these three elements that serve as the foundation for Koenig & Bauer’s holistic energy management solution: networked power meters, industry-optimised software and expert energy consulting. The complete package, with the SaaS solution VisuEnergy X as the core product, enables customers to automatically record and visualise energy consumption data throughout the whole company and to realise average saving potentials of 7 to 10 per cent – starting from the very first year.

Three steps to success: Measure – Visualise – Realise

The first step towards successful energy management is to measure and record energy data. Today, digitisation makes it possible that data from power meters no longer have to be processed manually, but can be recorded and stored automatically using the appropriate sensors and IoT solutions.

In the second step, the recorded energy consumption data is transmitted to the energy management system (EnMS), where it is made available in customisable dashboards. The digital solution VisuEnergy X is an EnMS specially optimised for the printing and packaging industry. It records and visualises the energy consumption of individual energy consumers even beyond the pressroom – the ideal tool for identifying unneeded consumers and energy guzzlers across the company.

But successful energy management goes beyond mere energy monitoring. In order to realise savings, it is important to continuously interpret the available data and derive practical measures. A look at consumption patterns and specific consumers reveals where the greatest potential for savings is to be found. Sometimes it is large press components and sometimes a multitude of tiny details that help to conserve resources, reduce energy consumption, cut costs and make print production more environmentally friendly.

Why does energy efficiency currently play such a vital role across all industries?

Due to the progressing climate change, sustainability has long since developed from a niche topic to a cross-industry economic factor. Climate protection is becoming increasingly important in terms of laws and regulations. Due to the growing shift in the mindset of consumers and brand owners, sustainability is also becoming an important decision-making criterion at the point of sale.

However, protecting the environment is not the only reason for improving energy efficiency. Rising energy costs and strict legal requirements are making energy a decisive competitive factor. The path to more energy efficiency is a great challenge, but at the same time also a great opportunity to significantly reduce production costs. So much for the theory. In reality, it can be observed time and again that a significant proportion of the energy in the production process is wasted due to ineffective energy management.

A joint path to climate neutrality

Koenig & Bauer takes on responsibility in terms of sustainability – one of the three core elements of its corporate strategy EXCEEDING PRINT. It encompasses both, a clear commitment to achieving CO₂ neutrality in their own operations by 2030 and the development of innovative technologies that enable Koenig & Bauer clients to produce in a more energy saving and resource-efficient way.

As the world’s second-largest press manufacturer, Koenig & Bauer has a great deal of leverage to implement measures against climate change together with the manufacturing companies in the printing and packaging industry – for example by using environmentally friendly consumables in the printing process or by choosing innovative, biodegradable substrates. To reduce the CO₂ footprint, it is particularly worthwhile to take a look at the energy consumption of the entire manufacturing site – from shop floor technology to office equipment.