The amendment to the German Federal Emission Protection Ordinance (4th BImSchV) by the German legislator brings clarity and relief both for the placing on the market of smaller electrolysers below 5 MW and for large-scale plants.
MES play a central role when it comes to intelligent processes for sustainable production. They are the technological basis for ecologically responsible production methods without losing sight of economic efficiency.
Good news from Brussels: the suspension of several reporting obligations gives companies the capacity to act in order to focus on important areas of transformation.
Have you already calculated your company's climate footprint and defined ambitious climate targets? But what specific measures can a company take to achieve these goals?
AUMA has published a guideline for the uniform calculation of greenhouse gases when organizing trade fairs.
To ensure the competitiveness of the mechanical and plant engineering industry, the VDMA is calling for reliable economic framework conditions. A strong industry means a strong economy.
With its new position paper, VDMA Building Technology appeals to politicians to set the course for a sustainable and competitive turnaround in construction and modernization.
With the ‘Sustainability Talks’, the VDMA is organising a web series on current and relevant sustainability topics for the mechanical and plant engineering industry. You can find an overview of the topics and dates here.
On 26 February, the European Commission published the omnibus proposal on sustainability. The EU Commission is thus responding to the concerns of the overburdened economy and strengthening competitiveness.
We have sat down and compiled an overview for you of the prizes and awards available, the structures and cost models behind them and how they are perceived and received by the public.
The transition to sustainability presents challenges for mechanical engineering – along with a flood of technical terms. Our **Glossary of Environmental and Sustainability Terms in Mechanical Engineering** sheds light on the complexities.
The QM Corner stands for one topic, one hour and virtual. The session presented the possible applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in quality management.
The VDMA has addressed extensive demands to politicians. What do the parties think? Our overview shows the extent to which the mechanical and plant engineering industry is taken into account in the programs for the federal election on February 23, 2025.
In a joint statement, 17 organizations call for a reality check of the European hydrogen policy
The new steering committee of the VDMA Building Technology Forum aims to play a more active role in the transformation of the building sector through innovative solutions and close cooperation between politics, industry and associations.
With the Omnibus Regulation, Commission President von der Leyen wants to consolidate, reduce and simplify various ESG reporting obligations. The VDMA welcomes the initiative and is submitting specific proposals for improvement.
Crops need nutrients and must be protected from pests. Innovative agricultural machinery and efficient fertilizers and pesticides ensure that this is achieved in a climate-friendly way.
Carelessly discarded packaging pollutes oceans and landscapes worldwide. The images of environmental pollution are well known and the need for action is great. Every individual bears responsibility.
Holistically sustainable: from production to packaging - innovative solutions for environmentally friendly meat and protein processing.
Consumers consider paper/cardboard packaging to be sustainable and the trend is moving towards fiber-based packaging. Flexible paper packaging is experiencing a renaissance.
Paper is a classic packaging material made from fibers. A distinction is made between primary and secondary fibers made from wood or waste paper. This article provides information on the various stages of paper production.
Cardboard packaging is stable and protects against mechanical stress. It is used as product packaging, outer packaging and transport packaging. Here you can find out everything about the production and use of cardboard and corrugated cardboard.
Which packaging is more sustainable, paper or plastic packaging? We have compiled some of the most frequently asked questions in FAQs, which we offer VDMA members exclusively for download.
Plastic packaging usually consists of composite films that are difficult to recycle. Legislation therefore requires materials and combinations that enable a high recycling rate.
Plastics are very versatile due to their properties. Read on to find out how plastics are made, what types there are, what the most common packaging plastics are and the selection criteria.
The majority of a wind turbine can be recycled, but recycling composite materials is a challenge. As the industry grows, the responsibility for sustainable solutions increases.
The mechanical and plant engineering sector is at the forefront of driving the sustainable transformation. To remain competitive, companies must be relieved of red tape, and ESG requirements must be implemented in a practical manner.
Focus on the circular economy: countries around the world are enacting regulations on packaging and waste in order to reduce environmental pollution. The overview "Regulations on packaging and packaging waste" shows current and planned measures. Download now!
The German government now also wants to relieve companies of CSRD reporting obligations. It would be an urgently needed step. Politicians must now do everything they can to convince the EU of this measure.
The European Deforestation Regulation is being postponed - an important measure to ease the burden on companies. Other EU regulations must now also be put to the test as part of the omnibus regulation.
This year’s VDMA Industry Meeting Mining & Minerals on 21 November at Zeche Zollverein in Essen focused on current pressing issues such as securing raw materials, sustainability and the implementation of regulatory requirements.
Thinking about the defossilization of tractors is a complex field of action.
The call for sector specific sustainability benchmarks has increased as mechanical engineering companies come under pressure from legislation and customers to report their sustainability impact.
Digitalization is driving the mechanical and plant engineering industry forward. This innovative strength is also reflected in the theses submitted by graduates from Germany and Austria.
Many mechanical engineering companies supply the technologies needed for a circular economy. This makes it all the more important that the EU and the future German government seriously pursue a circular economy policy.
"From Production to Application: The #P2X Conference" is dedicated to practical, technical challenges along the entire value chain of hydrogen and downstream products. The conference has now taken place for the 3rd time.
Which packaging is more sustainable, paper or plastic packaging? There is no general answer to this question, as it depends on the product to be packaged and the resulting requirements.
China wants to promote the development of domestic sorting technology. The expansion of the textile recycling industry is being promoted by the state, provinces and municipalities.
By efficiently bundling personal contacts, trade fairs make an important contribution to climate protection and sustainability because additional travel is avoided.
By developing specific Product Category Rules (PCR), the trade association aims to create a standardized basis for calculating the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF). This ensures greater transparency and comparability of environmental impact.
Optimized packaging design and innovative processing techniques have led to packaging becoming lighter and lighter over the years, with the same or better packaging performance and stability.
Pressure from customers and the regulatory market is increasing. Therefore, mechanical engineering companies must inevitably reduce the ecological footprint of their products. There is one area where you can achieve the greatest impact!
In order to implement the EU textile strategy, the EU Commission is focusing on actions to help the EU industry with the transformation. In addition, the industry is asked to shape the transformation path with commitments and best practices.
At an initial public meeting on 3.9.2024 at the VDMA in Frankfurt, almost 50 experts specified the aim and focus of the project and defined working groups. Initial results will be discussed on 8.11.2024. (Update no. 2)
The German Supply Chain Act places an undue burden on small and medium-sized industrial companies. The CDU/CSU is therefore quite rightly calling for it to be repealed in the Bundestag.
The Ecodesign Regulation for sustainable products has direct and indirect consequences for mechanical and plant engineering. Companies need to have certain data ready today - and therefore definitely need to deal with the Digital Product Passport!
Generating energy from marine energy plants is a necessary building block for achieving European and global climate targets. So far, most of the systems are prototypes in various stages of development.
At the meeting of the construction equipment section during the 2024 general assembly, members took a detailed look at the economic situation.
Food and packaging machinery plays a crucial role in reducing food waste. Advanced processes in food processing and packaging extend shelf life and protect against spoilage.
In December 2024, the EU bodies agree to postpone the start of implementation by 1 year.
The maritime supply industry met on the eve of the world's leading trade fair SMM for its traditional industry meeting in Hamburg and set the tone for further discussions in the coming days with high-ranking guests from politics and the shipping industry.
The deforestation regulation forces us to act.
A legal opinion commissioned by several associations on the legality of Article 29 (1-3) of the PPWR revealed several concerns.
The industry is focusing on sustainability. At this year's AMB in Stuttgart from September 10 to 14, manufacturers and VDMA will be demonstrating the approaches that will enable manufacturers and customers to work in an even more climate-neutral way in the future.
Mechanical engineering is indispensable for a European circular economy. The Circular Economy Act is an important building block, but it must not end in the minutiae of regulation.
From January 1, 2025, the separate collection of textile waste will be mandatory in the EU. The extended producer responsibility (EPR) for textiles will make manufacturers responsible for the waste generated by their products.
The German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt) provides information on the possibility for companies to provide evidence of their efforts to obtain data on CBAM goods and the use of its discretionary powers in the assessment of CBAM reports
Getting clean drinking water from the tap is taken for granted in Europe and many parts of the world. But one in four people worldwide has to work hard to get their drinking water.
The results report of the "Managing Sustainable Innovations" project provides a compact overview of the framework conditions and approaches that can be used to create more sustainable products.
Development of a product category rule for determining the CO2 footprint of thermo processing equipment - call for cooperation in the development of a VDMA standard sheet.
The QM Corner stands for one topic, one hour and one virtual event. The third session of the established format dealt with the current status of the revision of ISO 9001.
VDMA companies are partners for sustainable production. They promote a circular economy with efficient processes and binding rules and call for Germany and the EU to be strengthened as locations for innovation and competitiveness.
The cabinet agreement on CSRD is to be welcomed. However, there are downsides: these include the limited group of authorized auditors. The additional costs for affected companies are also significantly underestimated in the draft legislation.
New: Data collection on packaging not subject to system participation. The amended Environmental Statistics Act came into force on 16.05.2024, which will also be used to collect data on packaging not subject to system participation from June 2024.
In the ESRS project group, members exchange views on questions relating to the reporting requirements under CSRD. The VDMA provides its members with the interim status of the discussion as a Q&A.
Following the adoption of the new Ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, preparations are underway to define sector-specific requirements for textiles in a delegated act.
100 experts met on 28.06.2024 at the VDMA Summit on "Digital Product Passport: IT solutions for the textile industry". Organized by the Textile Machinery Association with Global Textile Scheme.
CSRD, Supply Chain Sustainability Obligations Act & Co.: The seminars of the Mechanical Engineering Institute provide you with practical knowledge and solutions to the current requirements for more sustainability and climate protection in mechanical and plant engineering.
Together with members and partners, the trade association celebrated its 25th anniversary in Würzburg. One thing became particularly clear: the trade association and its topics are playing an increasingly important role in the industry.
QTK - quality, time, cost: this triangle of customer benefit dimensions has defined the economy for generations. Sustainability now adds another corner - the square QTKN.
The VDMA publishes the first benchmark for industry-wide materiality in accordance with the European Sustainable Reporting Standard (ESRS) of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
The deforestation regulation forces us to act.
The delegation trip to Chile from 2 to 7 June 2024 by members of VDMA Mining aimed to underline the important role of mining technology manufacturers as enablers of sustainable and resource-conserving raw material extraction.
VDMA Mining is driving collaborative innovation, and talent attraction with a view to futureproofing the mining industry.
At an information event, 80 participants from the valves industry discussed the challenges posed by the various sustainability regulations.
The new Ecodesign Regulation aims to regulate products sustainably throughout their entire life cycle - the mechanical and plant engineering sector will be directly affected by this.
Federal Economics Minister Habeck wants to suspend the German Supply Chain Act for two years. It would be a first sign that the concerns and alarm signals of the business community are finally being heard.
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection today published the funding announcement for the 8th Energy Research Program.
The aim of the European regulation is to minimize the negative impact of packaging on the environment - with a high impact on the mechanical and plant engineering industry.
Today, the Cabinet approved the amendment to the Carbon Dioxide Storage Act (KSpG) and the key points of the German government's carbon management strategy.
EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius announces action on reusable transport packaging quota.
From 01.05.2025, packaging licensing in Spain will be extended to industrial packaging. This also applies to transport packaging for machine deliveries.
Together with member companies, the VDMA has developed training documents from October 2023 to spring 2024 that can be used to raise awareness of human rights risks in your own company and supply chain.
The strategic integration of sustainability reporting obligations in companies is becoming increasingly important, as the increasing transparency requirements will affect a large proportion of SMEs in the future.
QM Corner stands for one topic, one hour and virtual. In the second session, the established format dealt with the topic of handling confidential documents and the role of quality management.
The industry is facing the challenge of adapting to a changing market environment and taking advantage of the great opportunities presented by decarbonization and the new technologies that come with it.
The ninth future study examines the role of carbon management as the key to achieving climate targets. It outlines opportunities and hurdles for industry and society and presents four future scenarios for 2035 and beyond.
Under the guidance of the Chinese government, China's textile industry is committed to implementing green and low-carbon development. There are specific targets and a catalogue of measures for the period up to 2030.
The European Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Regulation aims to define what environmentally sustainable economic activities are and thus create a standardized classification system within the EU.
QM Corner stands for one topic, one hour and virtual. The established format will be continued in 2024. The first session dealt with the topic of sustainability and management systems.
On December 18, 2023, the EU Council reached an agreement ("general approach") on the proposal for the EU Packaging Regulation, after the EU Parliament had already approved its position on the document on November 22, 2023.
Even though the new Building Energy Act (GEG) is often reduced to a "heating law" for the residential sector and is the subject of controversial debate, the GEG also contains groundbreaking changes for non-residential buildings.
Against the backdrop of the shortage of skilled workers in purchasing, strategies were discussed on how management and motivation can create a framework to keep talented employees in the company.
On 26 October 2023, the focus day at the Future Food Factory OWL of the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences (TH OWL) revolved around the topic of sustainability through digitalization in food production.
Political guidelines are reflected in new customer requirements. This is forcing companies to address the ecological footprint of their products. Pragmatic solutions are needed.
The VDMA's guide to circular business models is now available for members. The aim of this guide is to provide an introduction to the topic of the circular economy.
Get active! Young teams from VDMA member companies can develop creative concepts for reducing emissions and, with a little luck, win the fourth VDMA "Carbon Busters 2025" award.
Building automation for a sustainable future - full support for the new building energy law
The general meeting of the Automation Management for House Buildings trade association was held in Hamburg on October 13, 2023.
Joint offer from Germany Trade & Invest (gtai), the Federal Foreign Office (AA) and the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK)
The VDMA has published a questionnaire on the LkSG, which can be used to further specify potential risks in your own business area and in the supply chain.
Corporate environmental protection encompasses a variety of different aspects - participants helped determine the focus of the event.
This survey provides an overview of the status of the implementation of ESG issues in the machinery and plant engineering industry and what role they play in business relationships and what trends and further impacts are expected.
On 05 June 2023, the EU Commission presented plans against food waste with the revision of the EU Waste Framework Directive (2018/851/EC).
Many companies will have to submit a sustainability report for the first time starting in 2025. Time is pressing, and preparations must begin now. ERP systems can be the decisive helpers here.
EU Regulation 2022/1616 on recycled plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food came into force on October 10, 2022, replacing the previously applicable EU Regulation 2008/282. The new regulation applies to all plastic types and recycling technologies.
In the future, only safe, circular and sustainable products are to be allowed on the EU internal market. The central element for mechanical and plant engineering in this context is the revision and opening of the Ecodesign Directive and the establishment of a digital product passport.
In 2020, the EU classified textiles as "high impact" products. Environmental impacts are to be minimized along the entire textile value chain.
