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The first sod was cut on the new project at 11:00 on Wednesday, July 5 in Nenzing.

Griesser, which has been a leading manufacturer of aluminum window shutters at its Nenzing (Austria) site for the past 25 years, has embarked on an extensive expansion of the present production facilities. The first sod was cut on the new project at 11:00 on Wednesday, July 5. The sustainable investment is a major development for the local economy, and further underlines Griesser’s commitment to both renewable energy and its environmental responsibilities.

One key feature of the site expansion planned is the provision of a hybrid powder coating facility. Griesser intends to power the coating process with its own ecofriendly energy produced in-house via a photovoltaic system. An external electricity source will also be available to cover peak production times. The hybrid powder coating facility will be one of the first of its kind in Europe. As well as creating additional jobs, the facility will offer employees a more pleasant working environment compared to those at traditional coating facilities with their extremely high temperatures.

Energy consumption at Nenzing will also be reduced through the use of heat pump technology. The heat pump will be used both in pre-treatment and to recover heat in the premises cooling process and then make efficient use of the waste heat recovered. All this waste heat, including that from the compressed air and from the coating facility, will be fed back into the system, which should achieve energy savings of 10 to 15 per cent. The system will have a capacity of 700 kWp; and at times of low demand such as weekends or non-working hours the surplus energy will be fed into the electricity grid. An energy storage system is also being considered.

Griesser attaches great importance to sustainability – not just in this project but in all areas of its business and operations. Its collaborations with locally-based top planning consultant Johannes Tiefenthaler and with local construction companies and its procurement of the new coating plant from Switzerland also underline Griesser’s commitment to local economic development together with its constant quest to find the best possible solutions, regardless of geographical borders.

The sod-cutting ceremony on July 5 was followed by the commencement of site excavation. The work will continue in autumn with the civil engineering and building required and the timber construction. Assembly of the powder coating facility should begin in mid-January 2024, and should be completed by the end of March. The facility will then be tested and trialed. A fully automated storage system for the powder required should also be installed by March. This will also be used to store further production materials. The entire new facility should be fully functioning and ready for service by July of next year.