Production & Logistics
Henkel has production sites in 57 countries. We also have administration, research and marketing and sales sites, warehouses, and logistics centers in many countries. As a local employer and contractor, we are thus able to stimulate the economic development of various regions. Efficient and modern production sites are a prerequisite for the production of high-quality brands and technologies. The continuous improvement of our processes and site structures, as well as the reduction of resource consumption and environmental burdens, are an important part of our promise of quality. This includes the worldwide transfer of knowledge and new technologies.
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Using modern water meters, the team at the Kilsyth plant in Australia determined the main water consumption points in the production and administration areas. Numerous improvement measures were then initiated, ranging from employee training courses on the economical use of water to the reutilization of rinse water in production. Three new tanks now collect up to 75,000 liters of rainwater, which is used in production instead of precious drinking water. As a result of these measures, water consumption has been cut by 42 percent.
Globally applicable standards
Our safety, health and environment standards (SHE Standards) and our Social Standards apply to all of our sites worldwide. They are part of the due diligence procedure undertaken before we buy into a company. On the basis of the results, we draw up detailed action plans to raise newly acquired sites to the level of the Henkel standards where necessary. We carry out regular audits to ensure that our standards are properly implemented. The audits are a key instrument for identifying risks and potential improvements.
To gain an integrated view of our regions, we are steadily expanding our audits to cover subcontractors and logistics centers as well. Our sites also carry out self-assessments whenever new standards are introduced. We have our environmental management systems at the individual sites externally certified, if this yields competitive advantages. At the end of 2009, about 58 percent of the production volume came from sites certified to the international ISO 14001 environmental management standard.
Logistics - An equation with many variables
Throughout Henkel, we are working to simplify our logistics structures and develop efficient and environmentally compatible logistics concepts. In most cases, our logistics planning is tailored to the nature of the final products to be transported. For relatively bulky products, we reduce the transport mileage and the resulting environmental burden by maintaining regional production sites. This applies especially to our laundry detergents and household cleaners, and to some cosmetics and adhesives. More compact products with a low specific weight make fewer demands on transport, so we produce them centrally in large quantities wherever possible. Our instant adhesives, for example, are produced at just a few sites worldwide. One of the criteria for selecting our logistics partners is the energy efficiency of their vehicle fleets.
