Sustainable company management

In our company management we are pursuing a comprehensive approach to sustainability. A clear corporate strategy, strong corporate values, continuous compliance structures and our risk management support us in being sustainably successful economically.

Sustainable company management

Our values and rules for long-term economic success

Shared values, rules and the objective of long-term economic success are the cornerstones of sustainable company management at the KraussMaffei Group. The Executive Committee – comprised of managing directors from KraussMaffei Group GmbH and KraussMaffei Technologies GmbH – is responsible for the strategic alignment of the company. The three segments, Injection Molding, Reaction Process Machinery and Extrusion Technology, are in charge of monitoring operations. The supervisory board of the KraussMaffei Group fulfills an advisory and supervisory role. Within the KraussMaffei Group, the Business Excellence department is in charge of coordinating and implementing the sustainability operations of the supervisory board. Management from this department reports directly to the CEO. The Corporate Communication department provides information about sustainability topics and also supports discussions throughout the corporate group.

We have defined basic business principles for our code of compliance and ethics that ensure sustainable business practices supported by all employees. We have designated compliance officers to guarantee adherence to the code of compliance and ethics within the KraussMaffei Group. They regularly conduct spot checks of the segments and regions assigned to them to ensure compliance with laws and group directives.

The KraussMaffei Group operates according to all data protection specifications. Data protection officers advise executive management and ensure that business-related and personal data is handled with the appropriate level of caution.

Risk management identifies and monitors business-related risks. This approach also takes non-financial risks into account, and early identification and management of these risks contribute to sustainable company management.

As a globally active company, we maintain long-term relationships with our suppliers that are based on trust. In our group directive on purchasing processes, we pledge to ensure fair treatment and equality of opportunity in the assignment of contracts as well as transparent, understandable processes. In addition, we strive to maintain constructive cooperation with suppliers to continuously improve our collaborative work.

We maintain a regular and open dialog with our most important target groups and stakeholders. A variety of dialog options encourages discussion about sustainability topics. Through our memberships, including the mechanical engineering group Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau (VDMA), we are also dedicated to the use of innovative technologies and resource-efficient processes. In this way, the KraussMaffei Group is taking charge of sustainable development in the economy.

Strategy and management

  • Strategy and organization
  • A strong profile

    • Strategy and organization

    If we are to enjoy long-term economic success, we must orientate our actions systematically toward sustainable growth and careful management of resources. For our customers and employees, we create palpable added value by taking social and ecological aspects into account alongside economic factors in our strategic and operational decisions.

    The KraussMaffei Group is led by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Business operations are led by the business units within our segments: Reaction Process Machinery, Extrusion Technology and Injection Molding Technology. Our products and services are sold under three different brand names: KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal. Together with the CEO and CFO, the managing directors of the segments - industry experts all - form the Executive Committee (EC). This committee makes the most important strategic and determinative decisions for the KraussMaffei Group. As the executive regulatory body, the board of directors operates in accordance with basic legal principles. In addition to its supervisory role, it also plays an advisory role for executive management. The committee is composed of representatives of the shareholders and the employer.

    The KraussMaffei Group strategy is focused on long-term economic success. Our top priority as the global market leader is to provide our customers with high-quality, efficient and requirement-oriented machines, systems and process solutions, as well as comprehensive service solutions and significant added value throughout the value-adding chain. The KraussMaffei Group operates internally and externally on the understanding that sustainable successful economic activity is based on careful handling of resources.

    Sustainability topics in the KraussMaffei Group are varied and affect a wide variety of user departments and employees. We are continuously developing new product and process solutions that operate with less energy and fewer resources. Our production, development and customer service departments will continue to collaborate closely to make development and production more environmentally friendly. Strong worker protections and the health of our employees are also extremely important to us. Our Business Excellence department deals with these areas.

    A strong profile

    As a globally leading manufacturer of machines and systems for the production and processing of plastic and rubber products, we are the only supplier in our sector to cover the complete range of injection molding, extrusion and reaction process machinery. Moreover, we are also a powerful partner in the research and development of new product and process solutions.

    Companies with a clear and unmistakable brand profile will stand out in the long term in intensive worldwide competition. Thanks to a premium quality service portfolio, our three strong brands (KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal) are global leaders on the market. The range of products and services of the three brands, KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal, allow us to serve customers in many sectors including the automotive, packaging, medical and construction industries, as well as manufacturers of electrical and electronic products and household appliances.

    Since Spring 2016, our new investor is ChemChina, a Chinese chemicals conglomerate that has been interested in our company for many years now. The company is a strategic and long-term oriented investor. ChemChina is the largest chemicals company in China and will greatly improve our market access in China. ChemChina is internationally active, on a worldwide expansion course and, in recent years, has acquired shares in various companies in Italy, France, Norway, the UK and Singapore.

    Years ago, we established a communication department to provide information about the diverse activities of the KraussMaffei Group. In addition to in-house and external communication, this department coordinates a management work group that continues development of sustainability solutions for the KraussMaffei Group.

    Compliance

    A vital component of the corporate culture

    The KraussMaffei Group views itself as an open-minded company that values fair interactions, equal opportunity, orientation towards factual arguments and transparency in process sequences. For us, respecting human dignity and rejecting discrimination, exploitation of workers and child labor in all forms are a matter of course. We appreciate all employees and business partners within and outside of the KraussMaffei Group, regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic background, religion, sexual orientation or culture. Active and passive discrimination against individuals, particularly older or disabled persons, is not compatible with our corporate values.

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    Data protection and security

    Confidential handling of employee data

    We have drafted group directives for data protection to ensure that data protection specifications are adhered to and personal and business-related data is not passed on to unauthorized parties. These directives are binding across the group for all employees and are revised and changed based on current developments on a regular basis. The most recent, updated version of the data protection concept was drafted in 2015. As a globally active company, the KraussMaffei Group also complies with the applicable legal regulations of the respective countries.

    The data protection officers who advise company management are responsible for overseeing the directives. In order to be effective in this role, data protection officers attend regular training sessions on all relevant topics.

    The data protection officers collaborate with the supervisor of an employee to draft a process description for processes in which this employee's data is processed. This description includes prerequisites for the respective process and measures to ensure secure handling of the data. Implementation of the measures is reviewed through spot checks.

    Data protection officers draft a data protection report every year to document these processes. In addition to a summary of the events of the past year, this report includes a detailed data protection log. This log contains all relevant topics that pertain to data protection and information on all incidents, measures and involved parties.

    In 2015, there were no complaints with respect to the protection of customer privacy and violation of the data protection of regulatory authorities or third parties. In addition, no incidents of data leaks, theft or losses were reported to data protection officers.

    Risk management

    How we detect, assess and manage risks early

    The KraussMaffei Group has installed a multi-level system for identifying and monitoring all risks. This system uses a forecast to identify hazards posed by future events and initiates the necessary steps to ensure appropriate risk control within an organized procedure. In all essential processes, business and procedural risks are controlled systematically and methodically in three steps: risk identification (definition), risk quantification (analysis and valuation) and risk control (countermeasures). All risks are evaluated based on short and medium-term forecasts (2 years).

    Our essential business processes are subject to an in-house control and monitoring system. The purpose is to detect risks that may have long-term effects on further company development at an early stage so that the required countermeasures can be introduced. The risk policy and structure/organizational flow of the early risk detection system of the KraussMaffei Group are summarized in a directive on risk management that is checked for currentness on a regular basis and when the need arises. The auditor conducts an independent review of the early risk detection system at irregular intervals.

    In addition to financial risks, non-financial risks, such as those from the HR Planning and Development and Compliance Management departments, are part of company-wide risk management. In the HR Planning and Development department, we regularly review our employees' qualifications for compliance with global requirements and, where necessary, introduce appropriate, continued training measures. In addition, we strive to identify personnel capacity bottlenecks in a timely manner and hire and retain qualified personnel. Compliance Management and our code of ethics ensure legal provisions and company directives are adhered to and monitored. This helps us achieve a comprehensive overview of the most critical company risks.

    Responsibility in the supply chain

    Securing supplier and quality management worldwide

    All around the world, our companies procure materials and services from over 10,000 active suppliers. Our comprehensive supplier and quality management systems allow us maintain a long-term and trusting relationship with them. The three business areas of Local Procurement, Global Procurement and Governance, Processes, Tools, Controlling ensure standardized management of global procurement processes and at the same time allow us to work with local suppliers wherever it is rational. That doesn't just save costs; it also shortens lead times.

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    Stakeholder dialog

    In open dialog with our interest groups

    An active dialog with our stakeholders on topics such as sustainability is extremely important to the KraussMaffei Group. As a globally active company, we deal with a wide variety of stakeholders. Regular communication engenders trust and allows us to react to trends at an early stage, recognize external risks and identify customer requirements and areas of potential improvement.

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    Memberships

    Networking and active participation in future-oriented initiatives

    As a global company, networking and active participation in future-oriented initiatives are increasing in importance. We utilize technical innovations and resource-conserving processes to ensure sustainable development in the economy.

    Membership

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    Blue Competence – the sustainability initiative of the VDMA

    The partner companies of Blue Competence see themselves as a community of values for a sustainable future. They pledge to adhere to eight sustainability criteria. These criteria cover all relevant areas, from in-house production to educating customers.

    As part of the Blue Competence initiative, the KraussMaffei Group makes a substantial contribution to confronting economic, ecological and social challenges through combined expertise and innovative technologies that protect the environment, conserve resources, improve quality of life and make economic management more efficient. Only advanced machines, systems and production processes can make global sustainability possible.

    In addition to continuous further development of machine technology, there is enormous potential for manufacturing plastic parts at low costs with few resources, including parts with high quality, premium surfaces.

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    Bundesverband Materialwirtschaft, Einkauf und Logistik (Association for Supply Chain Management, Procurement and Logistics (BME)

    The KraussMaffei Group has been a member of BME since 2011. This organization is the leading professional association for buyers, supply chain managers and logistics specialists in Germany and continental Europe. The objectives of BME include the exchange of expertise and experience between members, apprenticeships and continued training for qualified personnel and scientific work to develop new methods, procedures and technologies. This group organizes national and international conventions and presentations, and provides continued training opportunities and a network of Internet platforms. In September 2015, a conference was organized in China as part of "Industrial Purchasing Week". Participants traveled to Haiyan, a city known as the new driver of innovation for Industry 4.0 and robot technology. A visit to the KraussMaffei plant in Haiyan was also on the agenda.

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    Swissmem – the Swiss machine, electrical and metal industry

    Netstal-Maschinen AG has been a member of Swissmem since 1943. This organization is a competence center for economic and business policy that seeks to strengthen companies in Switzerland. In addition to representing the interests of Swiss companies, it offers continued training courses and a large network for industry specialists and groups.

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    A selection of our other memberships
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