Extensive modernisation measures undertaken on our buildings have allowed us to significantly reduce heat losses. To heat them, we use energy-efficient systems such as energy recuperation measures, air recirculation, district heating, control technology and building insulation.
The electricity for our company headquarters and our main production site in Augsburg is generated by >60% from renewable energies. A value that is significantly higher than the German national average.
The prevention and recycling of waste has high priority in our company. Today, virtually all the raw materials from which are systems are made can be recycled. When our car washes reach the end of their useful life, we ensure that they are properly dismantled and recycled along with any waste materials.
Even the requirements specifications for the development of a WashTec system comprise specific guidelines to ensure their efficient recyclability. This in turn enables us to achieve maximum level of reusability.
For mechanical vehicle washing, water is an essential and expensive resource. WashTec is making continuous progress with regard to water consumption. By way of example, the amount of fresh water consumed by WashTec car washes is decreasing with every new system generation. What is more, water recovery systems from WashTec significantly reduce the amount of fresh water required for vehicle washing: down to 14 to 30 litres per wash compared with 120 to 170 litres per wash without water conditioning.
Equipped for the future
WashTec car washes constitute an environmentally friendly (because they save fresh water) alternative to washing cars by hand which is forbidden in Germany. Also in markets where environmental standards are less strict or where water is particularly scarce, increasing regulation is anticipated. In Northern Europe, environmental requirements are already becoming stricter, with the banning of hand car washing also in other countries being discussed. This signifies further potential for environmentally friendly, mechanical vehicle washing with water conditioning systems. In Scandinavia, WashTec has been awarded the "Nordic Swan" environmental award for its exceptionally eco-friendly water conditioning systems and vehicle washing facilities.
AUWA washing chemicals are developed and produced in collaboration with our development department. We ensure that we use resources carefully in this process. We avoid using colouring agents and fragrances, emulsifiers and similar substances as far as possible.
All AUWA washing chemical products are concentrates, which are automatically diluted and dosed in the car washes. The highly concentrated composition of their active ingredients allows them to be dosed sparingly. Using concentrates allows our consumption, transport costs and exhaust gas emissions to be reduced by up to 70%.
Quality before quantity
When producing AUWA chemical products, we prefer to use a lower quantity of a more effective raw material or a performance-enhanced raw material combination rather than a high quantity of a standard raw material. We always avoid using toxic ingredients and those classified as "hazardous to the environment". Raw materials subject to labelling (i. e. potentially harmful) are replaced as far as possible with raw materials that are not subject to labelling.
Whether at WashTec production plants in Augsburg and Recklinghausen or at our subsidiaries in the U.S., in China and the Czech Republic, we have optimised the production processes under environmental aspects at all WashTec sites.
This is documented by our numerous awards and certificates. WashTec has been ISO 14001 certified since as far back as 2000. ISO certification defines globally recognised requirements with regard to environmental management systems. The observance of the requirements is audited at regular intervals. The certificate has to be renewed every three years.
There are no significant emissions of pollutants at our plant site in Augsburg. The production processes are mainly confined to sheet metal working with a modern machine outfit and to the final assembly of components. By filtering all the waste gases and air produced we reduce the emission of pollutants to the minimum technically feasible.
The WashTec environmental label is used to identify all products and product components that are exceptionally environmentally sound and resource-efficient.
