Rheinmetall and SLR Giesserei Partner on Eco-Friendly District Heating System to Slash CO2 Emissions

Rheinmetall and SLR Giesserei Partner on Eco-Friendly District Heating System to Slash CO2 Emissions

(IN BRIEF) Rheinmetall and SLR Giesserei are collaborating on a district heating system at the KS Gleitlager site in St. Leon-Rot, expected to save up to 800 tonnes of CO2 annually. The system will utilize waste heat from the foundry, enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability. The project, set to begin in September 2024, is a financial and environmental win for both companies.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜSSELDORF, 29-Jun-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — The Rheinmetall Group is set to significantly reduce its carbon footprint with the installation of a district heating system at its KS Gleitlager site in St. Leon-Rot (Rhein-Neckar district). This initiative, in cooperation with the neighboring SLR Giesserei foundry, is expected to save up to 800 tonnes of CO2 annually, advancing Rheinmetall’s sustainability goals of achieving CO2-neutral operations by 2035.

The collaboration involves creating a closed, underground circulation system connecting the foundry and KS Gleitlager. The system will consist of two water pipes: one delivering 80-degree water from the foundry to the KS Gleitlager technical center, where the heat will be utilized for production processes and heating, and the other returning the cooled water to the foundry for reheating. This innovative approach will allow the foundry to efficiently use its process-generated waste heat, which previously had to be cooled and released into the environment.

Scheduled for commissioning in September 2024, the project is expected to pay for itself within a few years. The annual savings for Rheinmetall will include up to 800 tonnes of CO2 emissions and a reduction in gas costs in the low six-figure range.

This partnership represents a win-win-win situation: the foundry benefits by reducing the need to cool excess waste heat, Rheinmetall gains significant energy savings and reduced emissions, and the environment benefits from the lower CO2 output.

The SLR Group, which produces over 130,000 tonnes of high-quality nodular cast iron machine parts annually, initiated this project. Founded in 1981, the German foundry St. Leon-Rot GmbH is the main plant and headquarters of the SLR Group, located in St. Leon-Rot.

KS Gleitlager, a subsidiary of Rheinmetall, is renowned for its high-precision plain bearings supplied globally from St. Leon-Rot. The site employs around 560 people and specializes in various production processes, including primary material production, complex forming processes, and fully automated testing facilities.

Media Contact:

Oliver Hoffmann
Head of Press and Public Relations
Phone: +49 211 473-4748
Fax: +49 211 473-4157

SOURCE: RHEINMETALL AG