3R: Mr. Clostermann, you are the Sustainability Manager of an international company that, among other things, provides high-quality liners for trenchless pipe maintenance. How would you define the approach of sustainable engineering?
Michael Clostermann: Essentially, sustainable engineering involves considering the entire life cycle of a product. This starts with the procurement of raw materials for manufacturing and ends with the disposal or recycling of the product after its use and technical end of life.
3R: How has this evolved in recent years?
Clostermann: SAERTEX multiCom operates in the construction industry. The development toward today's approach to sustainable engineering can be likened to building a house: in the past, insulation wasn’t a priority, and whether you heated with coal, oil, or gas was simply a matter of comfort. Emissions, i.e., the environmental impact caused during construction, were of little concern compared to the building's use phase. Disposal after its lifespan was also secondary. In contrast, the construction of today’s passive houses factors in all these elements. From construction to environmental impact during use and even how parts of the house can be recycled after its life cycle. Sustainable engineering thus requires us to consider the product’s entire life cycle and the questions like, “Where do the materials come from, and how are they sourced?" It's a multi-faceted issue, and we must think about not only the product itself but also its life cycle – it’s a holistic view.
3R: What role do production processes play in this?
Clostermann: Improving the green footprint of a product also means optimizing production processes. During production, the goal is to use resources as efficiently as possible. For example, glass fiber waste from liner production isn’t discarded but processed and reused in the nonwoven fabric industry to produce items like parcel shelves for cars. We've also recently improved our transport conditions, allowing us to reduce temperature-controlled shipments, saving a substantial amount of energy. These improvements only happen when everyone involved in the process works together – from suppliers, production, development, sales, and ultimately, our customers.
3R: How does production compare to the overall product life cycle in terms of the green footprint, and what levers are available for improvement?
Clostermann: It's an interesting question. For our products, production accounts for about 3% of the total. For instance, reducing the liner wall thickness from 4 to 3 mm – assuming the structural integrity still meets standards – would save about 20% in CO2 equivalents. In other words, producing something carbon-neutral doesn't mean the product itself is carbon-neutral. These are two entirely different things, and it's essential to define the life cycle phases, or scopes, of a product to ensure comparability. Greenwashing can only be prevented by looking closely at these details.
3R: When did your company start focusing on environmental protection and sustainability?
Clostermann: Environmental protection and sustainability have been key topics since SAERTEX was founded in 1982 and SAERTEX multiCom in 1996. Trenchless technologies, like our multiCom products, aim to protect resources such as water, avoid tearing up roads, and preserve trees. Trenchless methods offer numerous advantages over open construction, including minimal site disturbance, shorter project times, cost-efficiency, lower resource consumption, and fewer emissions. Similarly, SAERTEX has been producing fiberglass products for the wind energy sector since 1982, contributing to the energy transition. In various other industries, our multiaxial fabrics help reduce weight, for example, compared to iron or steel, which in turn reduces CO2 emissions. So, sustainability has always been part of our DNA. Our products and solutions inherently contribute to sustainability. Our vision, “Innovation for a Resource Saving Future,” reflects that.
3R: ISO 14001 has established itself as a global standard for environmental management systems. When did your company implement this standard, and how did you approach it?
Clostermann: We began in February 2022, and after a year of intensive preparation, we were certified under DIN EN ISO 14001:2015. A successful surveillance audit was recently completed. Once the management decided to move forward, my colleague Mrs. Brenningmeyer, responsible for our integrated management system, and I addressed key questions like: What is our environmental policy as a company? Does it align with our strategy? Who are the interested parties, and what resources are required? After clarifying these fundamental issues, we engaged the company’s leadership on the topic of environmental aspects, focusing on the question: What impact does my work have on the environment? From there, we implemented the strategy through our internal processes.
3R: How do the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from the UN's 2030 Agenda align with ISO 14001?
Clostermann: When dealing with sustainability, it becomes clear that it’s not just about ecological aspects but also economic and social ones. The 2030 Agenda’s goal is to create a dignified life worldwide while preserving natural resources. ISO 14001 provides a structured way to analyze and optimize business processes in a sustainable manner.
3R: In February, you received recognition for your environmental efforts. What does this mean for you?
Clostermann: Yes, we received an EcoVadis award and a bronze medal. It's a sign we’re on the right path. EcoVadis is an independent rating agency that evaluates a company’s sustainability efforts based on industry-specific criteria. While it’s only an interim result – bronze isn't gold – it shows we're moving in the right direction, but we still have room for improvement.
3R: Do you have any internal sustainability benchmarks to track your progress?
Clostermann: Currently, we don’t have a specific benchmark in place. We’re in the process of defining sustainability more precisely for our company. As I mentioned earlier, sustainability is a broad term, and we’re now assessing our activities in the social, ecological, and economic sense. This will eventually be backed up by data. Additionally, we’ve developed a calculation tool with an independent engineering firm to measure the Product Carbon Footprint according to DIN EN ISO 14067. This allows us to assess the greenhouse gas potential for each project, from raw material production to manufacturing and delivery.
3R: How do your customers perceive your sustainability efforts?
Clostermann: I think our customers see them positively. It’s not necessarily a unique selling point anymore, as many companies are focusing on sustainability. However, the pressure on businesses to act will increase, and those who don’t address it may find themselves left out of future projects or customer decisions.
3R: Are sustainability requirements already reflected in tenders?
Clostermann: In Germany, it’s still rare but starting to appear. In the Netherlands, however, tenders often include specific sustainability criteria, such as life cycle assessments or eco-balance sheets, which are then tied to a monetary value. For instance, water consumption and CO2 emissions are assigned an "environmental shadow cost" and multiplied by a Euro factor. The lower the environmental cost, the higher the virtual discount. I find this approach exciting because it can encourage many clients to take action through cost comparisons.
3R: You recently passed the surveillance audit. What are your current challenges?
Clostermann: Right now, the biggest challenge is the CSRD directive – the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive from the EU. It requires medium and large companies to contribute to a more sustainable economy and society. As a result, we’re working on a “double materiality” analysis to determine what key figures we need to report and how to gather the necessary data.
3R: Could you explain the concept of double materiality?
Clostermann: It requires companies to consider two perspectives. Internally, we need to assess our impact on sustainability topics – for example, water usage or waste management. Externally, we need to anticipate the risks and opportunities we face, such as regulatory changes or market shifts. For instance, the potential phase-out of combustion engines for car manufacturers is something we need to prepare for.
3R: What challenges do you see ahead?
Clostermann: I’m concerned that the increasing bureaucratic burden will make it harder to implement measures quickly. We haven’t even discussed another major topic: the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and the upcoming EU directive. While the EU's approach to sustainability and resource preservation is absolutely correct, I believe the bureaucratic complexity will be a significant challenge.
3R: Are there specific deadlines from regulators?
Clostermann: Yes, based on our company size, we must report for the first time in 2026, covering the year 2025. This means we need to set up our systems now to track the necessary data for the key figures in 2025. It's a one-time setup, but it's significant.
3R: Finally, what would you ask of policymakers?
Clostermann: In short: less bureaucracy. What’s currently in the pipeline is enough for now – businesses need time to implement these reporting requirements. I don’t think companies need additional incentives to become more sustainable. The existing framework needs to prove itself in practice. The path to greater sustainability is the right and meaningful one, and it’s exciting and rewarding to be part of ensuring a resource-saving future.
3R: Mr. Clostermann, thank you for the interview.
