Sustainable welding

voestalpine Böhler Welding is an industry pioneer when it comes to sustainability. Its innovative products enable customers to conserve resources during welding.

greenWave® technology can significantly reduce CO₂ emissions during welding. Compared to conventional power sources, the use of 1,000 greenWave® power sources at 200A/28V for 1,200 hours per year saves a whole 110 tons of CO₂. The secret: greenWave® significantly reduces reactive power consumption during welding and draws power from the grid with almost no losses. This means greenWave® consumes up to 30 percent less electricity than conventional inverter technologies. This innovative, patented technology from voestalpine Böhler Welding is paving the way for sustainable welding.

In addition to greenWave®, the company is also investing in the development of environmentally friendly welding wires. In 2019, voestalpine introduced ECOspark®. This solid wire with a non-copper-plated wire surface has several advantages for the environment:

• Eliminating copper plating conserves resources.
• The production process for ECOspark® is shorter and more environmentally friendly.
• The welding process generates fewer welding fumes—an aspect that also plays a decisive role in workplace health.
• Higher productivity and less rework saves users time and money and reduces the environmental footprint.

Non-copper-plated welding wires will play an increasingly important role in the future and will be increasingly in demand, especially in automated welding applications. The challenge remains to ensure a uniform product, arc stability, and that the wire is transportable.

voestalpine Böhler Welding also strives to ensure its packaging has a low carbon footprint. That is why for years it has been using drums made of recyclable cardboard for its welding wires. These drums are foldable and easier to dispose of and transport, which reduces the emissions caused during transport.

Sustainability not only plays a role in voestalpine Böhler Welding products: the company also focuses on energy efficiency, resource conservation, and the use of renewable energies in its production processes.

Regular external assessments ensure that voestalpine Böhler Welding is on the right track with its sustainability efforts. In 2022—the very first time they were rated—EcoVadis awarded the European production sites in Kapfenberg (AUT), Cittadella (ITA), and Hamm (GER) the highest rating of “Platinum”.