As part of the Green Recovery component of the “COVID-19 Investment Response” project, which is funded by the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), many companies have increased competitiveness in the market, established sustainable energy management, and improved working conditions for their employees.
Among them is Ramex d.o.o. from Kladanj, which specializes in the production of children’s furniture made of solid wood and exports its high-quality products to markets across Europe, America and Asia. A confirmation of their commitment to quality is a long-term cooperation with one of the world’s largest furniture companies, Swedish IKEA.
As the company’s business is focused on constant development and investment, their participation in the project of “greening” the business with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions was a logical step.
“Our goal is to maintain top quality production while protecting the environment, and as the first step of the project, an audit of energy efficiency was performed. A detailed analysis of energy consumption and an assessment of the potential for switching to renewable energy sources were made”, said Jasmina Hadžiabdić, executive director of the company.
After the audit, the lighting system’s energy efficiency was improved, and inadequate lighting, causing a loss of electricity, was replaced. Energy efficiency has also been improved in the compressed air production and distribution system. By replacing the old valves, air consumption is optimized, and the number of operating hours of the compressor is reduced.
Also, the insulation of the heating pipeline was repaired and the replacement of 15 defective heaters, which improved the energy efficiency of the heating system, was performed. Finally, a diesel-powered forklift was replaced with an electric forklift.
Implemented project measures reduced diesel fuel consumption by 5%, electricity consumption by 9%, and wood consumption by 24%.
“The support of the German government through GIZ was very significant in financial terms. However, what makes this project stand out is the technical support we had during the implementation of the project, which included a study visit to companies in Germany, where we could see practical examples of improving energy efficiency”, said director Hadžiabdić.
At the local level, Ramex d.o.o. has grown into one of the largest economic entities, and is one of the key factors in the wood industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, the commitment to improving production processes and working conditions for employees, in addition to increasing the competitiveness of the company itself, certainly contributes to setting new standards in the production sector in our country.
In addition to the direct benefits achieved by participating in the project, the company Ramex has also paved the way for new projects of energy efficiency and improvement of its own competitiveness, compliance with quality standards and environmental protection.
