Krones balances revenue and climate targets with new carbon transition plan

28 Jul 2023 --- Krones published its Public Carbon Transition Plan this week, disclosing the group’s actions, interim results and further plans to achieve its climate targets. 

Krones says a challenge to the group is generating revenue by selling producer goods while attaining net zero and maintaining it on a lasting basis. 

“What Krones needs is an inspiring and ambitious vision that motivates us to improve and fine-tune our operations and expertise,” says Krones Group’s CEO, Christoph Klenk. 

“That is precisely why we have adopted our new ‘Solutions beyond tomorrow’ target, which is our contribution toward creating a liveable, sustainable and successful future.”

The Carbon Transition Plan takes the requirements specified by the Carbon Disclosure Project and the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure and those included in the forthcoming Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive as its points of reference.

Opportunities and risks
The F&B line producer demonstrated its sustainability plans at the Drinktec 2022 trade show, in Munich, Germany. At the show, Krones presented its fiber-based alternative to shrink-wrap for PET multipack bottles in partnership with DS Smith. 

The Eco carrier was demonstrated on Krones’ Variopac Pro machine, which can integrate seamlessly into customer production lines for “minimum disruption and maximum efficiency.”

Regarding its transition plan, the group says it has “meticulously” analyzed the climate-relevant opportunities and risks involved in its activities and is pursuing a detailed action plan to reduce carbon emissions. 

In other developments, Krones inaugurated its Process Technology Center for beverage customers to create ultra-small production batches to develop, compare and enhance recipes, processes and parameters. The site was inaugurated in early May at the company’s headquarters in Neutraubling, Germany.

Meanwhile, the packaging lines provider also equipped Danone with ErgoBloc L wet-end blocks in 2020, which will be installed in various plants in France and Spain by the end of 2023. The arrival of the innovative ErgoBloc technology was said to be a turning point for Volvic’s parent company, Danone, in Europe. Krones also added a non-returnable glass line to its Pretoria SAB site in South Africa to boost the production of Corona beer.

Edited by Natalie Schwertheim