Increasing sustainability and efficiency with oil-free coolant
Longer tool life, less consumption and a coolant for all mechanical operations – these are just some of the advantages of HAKUFLUID, the oil-free coolant by Chemische Werke Kluthe.
Process media are an essential part of the efficient production of wheels. This includes the coolant used in mechanical manufacturing, specifically in machining processes such as turning and drilling. The coolant lubricates and cools the workpiece and the tool, making a significant contribution to the productivity of industrial manufacturing.
The use of oil-based coolants, known as emulsions, is widespread which is why RONAL GROUP started working with Kluthe in mechanical manufacturing in 2016.
OIL-FREE CAN ACHIEVE MORE
Chemische Werke Kluthe has been a major partner for the RONAL GROUP plants in Landau, Germany, and Teruel, Spain since the 1980s. Among other things, the company supplies chemical process media to these locations for the paint shop.
The technical requirements for the new coolant are substantial and varied. Ultimately, it should not only extend tool life and reduce consumption, but a single coolant should also be able to carry out all (sometimes very different) mechanical machining operations. Classic emulsions would not meet these requirements, but Kluthe’s oil-free HAKUFLUID coolant can.
BETTER RECYCLING OF ALU CHIPS
Better recyclability of the alu chips was also a requirement. As a secondary raw material, they are highly relevant in wheel production because they can be melted down and then directly recycled. Since the new coolants do not require oil and leave less residue, this has allowed the process to be significantly simplified.
MORE EFFICIENT ALSO MEANS MORE SUSTAINABLE
The detailed requirement specification was fulfilled convincingly. After extensive trials at the factory in Pardubice, Czechia, the new coolants gradually established themselves in other factories as well. At that time, it was already becoming apparent that the oil-free process media were more sustainable, reducing the amount of cooling lubricants used by about 30%.
In the years that followed, the importance of sustainability in RONAL GROUP's manufacturing became ever greater, not least thanks to the PLANBLUE initiative. Meanwhile, work also continued in this area at Kluthe. In 2022, for example, it became possible to calculate the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) for all of the chemical company's products for the first time.
At 2.3 kg CO2e/kg, this is roughly 60% lower for oil-free HAKUFLUID products than for conventional coolants. Overall, RONAL GROUP managed to save over 900 metric tons of CO2e in 2022 alone thanks to the new coolants. Ratings and calculations were carried out by an external consultant in line with the rules of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
CARBON NEUTRAL THANKS TO REFORESTATION
Since 2019, Kluthe has been entitled to refer to itself as climate neutral for Scope 1 und 2. Its CO2 emissions are offset by reforestation. This has been achieved in part thanks to 5600 hectares of its own forest land in Canada, which can be linked to 56000 metric tons of CO2 per annum.
IT DOESN’T STOP HERE
The potential for further optimization is far from exhausted. The process technology team and those responsible for the mechanical production of RONAL GROUP are already working alongside the Kluthe research and development laboratory and application engineers on further consumption savings. As such, productivity and sustainability go hand in hand at Kluthe and RONAL GROUP.
| Emission category | Emissions1 kg CO2e | Emissions1 relative |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery of raw materials | 0.044 | 1.8% |
| Delivery of packaging material | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Upstream chain raw materials | 2.266 | 94.7% |
| Upstream chain packaging material | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Emissions production1 | 0.024 | 1.0% |
| Pro rata corporate emissions | 0.015 | 0.6% |
| Delivery | 0.044 | 1.8% |
| Total | 2.392 | 100% |
About Chemische Werke Kluthe
As a specialist in surface treatment, Chemische Werke Kluthe GmbH develops and manufactures chemical products and process solutions for metalworking & cleaning, forming & protection, pretreatment and paint shop. The company was founded in 1950 and operates today in 53 locations worldwide.
