Breuer+Schmitz in Solingen goes green

"Our old building is being demolished for the construction of 180 apartments," Gijs-Bert Drost opens the conversation. The account manager of Breuer+Schmitz explains further: "The old building dates back to around 1885. Around that year, the Breuer+Schmitz building was first built. Over the years, all kinds of residential buildings have been built around it. Expansion or conversion is no longer possible, and to accommodate the strong growth it is time for a new and more modern production hall with office building." The new building will ensure that the growth is accommodated. "We are building future-proof," continues Gijs-Bert. "That means that, based on forecasts, we will also have sufficient capacity in the coming years. The routing in the new building has been fully optimized and set up to the requirements of our time. When you get the chance to build new, you want to do it right the first time. That's why Breuer+Schmitz goes green. The new building is green, energy-neutral, has modern facilities for everyone and even an insect hotel has been thought of."

Working ahead in the service of the customer

Breuer+Schmitz is trying to work ahead with its standard assortment, in connection with the move. "A noble endeavor, but we keep growing and the material 'flies out the door,' literally. Of course this is great and we are happy about it, but we have to pull out all the stops. Thanks to an optimized process at the new workplace, we will soon be able to produce much more, with the same number of people. We have also invested in new machines and further automation wherever possible." 

Construction has begun and the proposed move is tentatively scheduled for March 2022.

Cradle to Cradle Silver

That the new building is going to have an impact on several levels is a fact. "We are going to save quite a bit on energy costs. We already have the bronze Cradle to Cradle certificate in our pocket, but when we're in the new building we're going up for silver. A new program will be introduced: BSW Re-use + Recycle. The common hinge types from Breuer+Schmitz can then be offered to us for recycling or re-use. If this method of working soon becomes mandatory, we already know the drill," Gijs-Bert outlines. 

"Return materials, if they cannot be reused, are sent to a certified recycling company. For contractors, this becomes important when a tender specifies that work must be done sustainably."

Leader in Design and Trends.

Hinges today must also match doors in appearance. BSW has been supplying hinges in a multitude of colors and surfaces for years. In addition to galvanized, stainless steel, gold, PVD, black and white, hinges in different (RAL) colors are available on request. Whatever the next trend may be, BSW is ready for it.

Selling security

In conclusion, Gijs-Bert says, "We sell security, in terms of materials, manufacturing, durability and support. Even in terms of fire resistance, our hinges are certified. In the past everything was made of metal, nowadays you see a lot of plastic components in building hardware, which does not help fire resistance. Unlike some suppliers, our hinges with plastic plain bearings are also independently tested for fire resistance."