Our progress
In recent decades, we have successfully implemented a range of sustainability measures – even before sustainability became a topical issue in the business world. We have continued on this course and taken further steps in the right direction.
2022
Photovoltaic systems at our headquarters in Schwaz
The photovoltaic system on the rooftop at our headquarters in Schwaz, which went into operation in the summer of 2022, saves 3,500 MWh of electrical energy per year. In total, Tyrolit achieves annual energy savings of 700 MWh through global PV installations at Tyrolit sites from Australia to Thailand to the Czech Republic.
2021
Group-wide switch to LED
All sites around the world are replacing the incandescent bulbs in their light fixtures with LEDs. This will produce total energy savings of around 80% for the same amount of lighting. LEDs are currently still slightly more expensive than incandescent light bulbs, but the investment in the latest models for electrical energy will pay off in about a year, making this type of lighting worthwhile on balance. Likewise, their lifetime is significantly longer, as is their resistance to shock and vibration. LEDs are small and compact and therefore versatile.
2020
Range of small sustainability projects
These projects create awareness for sustainable action within the company as well as among our customers and other stakeholders. For example, Tyrolit promotes biodiversity with the wild bee hotel, organises an annual clean-up campaign around the Jizera River, which flows around a Tyrolit site (Clean Jizera Project), cooperates with sheltered workshops and makes the company fire brigade available for operations outside the Tyrolit premises. Employees can benefit from an e-bike leasing initiative in Tyrol, and many of them are increasingly coming to work by bike.
2020
Certification
In the spirit of responsible cooperation, Tyrolit played an active role in initiating the SEAM sustainability certification brand. SEAM stands for Sustainable European Abrasive Manufacturers and guarantees a high level of standardisation when it comes to quality, safety, excellence and the environment. It supports successful positioning of the company in a rapidly changing world. Certification empowers the mission of broad-based sustainable corporate management in the abrasives industry and makes sustainability both a business opportunity and a competitive advantage. Its members are highly qualified abrasives manufacturers throughout Europe. www.seam.earth
2017
Employees as a source of ideas – Tyrolit Power
The increasing industrial demands and the resulting changes in the market demand extremely close cooperation with our customers. In 2017, this led to an innovative solution from employee Bent Ankersen in Denmark. He created the idea for the new product TYROLIT POWER – a combination of natural-hair brushes and a grinding layer made from netting with diamonds. It enables a controlled surface finish in an extremely short time and significantly reduces machining time and thus costs compared to conventional tools. A great idea that helps the customer to achieve the desired result in a quarter of the time.
2008
Construction of the photovoltaic park in the Czech Republic
In 2008, a solar plant consisting of 60 x 50 sq m panels was erected at the Tyrolit site in Benátky. It automatically tracks the sun, generates 881,000 kWh of electricity and saves 700 tonnes of CO2 per year. Tyrolit is investing a total of 4.3 million euros in this step towards greater energy autonomy.
2006
1.5 million m3. The associated CO2 emissions will also be halved to around 6,000 tonnes per year.
Switch to regenerative afterburning at the Schwaz site
With a total investment volume of approx. 1.2 million Euro, thermal afterburning at the Schwaz site is being replaced by a heat recovery system that uses waste gases. This will reduce annual gas consumption by half from 3 million m3 to1.5 million m3. The associated CO2 emissions will also be halved to around 6,000 tonnes per year.
1996
ISO 14001 certification
Tyrolit Schleifmittelwerke Swarovski KG is considered one of the pioneers in this field and has consistently developed its environmental management system since 1996, transforming it into a sustainability management system.
1980s
Establishment of the Local Community Service
Harmonious coexistence with the people around us is important to Tyrolit. This is why the Local Community Service was established in the 1980s. Residents of the areas surrounding Tyrolit sites can contact employees with questions, concerns or complaints and, if necessary, work together to find solutions. This creates a sustainable basis for pleasant coexistence.
1985
Secur Silentio: Low-vibration, quieter wheel protects employees
Work in the metal processing industry is often associated with physical load. Strong vibrations and high noise levels put a strain on employees' wrists and ears. To relieve them and protect their health, Tyrolit developed a new "Secur Silentio" composite grinding wheel in 1985. This ergonomic wheel allowed grinding work to be carried out at low noise and vibration levels, reducing the physical load on the grinders and protecting the ears of nearby employees and neighbours.
1979
New halls with improved workplaces
To guarantee smooth production at the Tyrolit plant, sufficient space was required for all employees, machines and working surfaces. As space became scarce, the production halls were further expanded in 1979. This reduced the close working quarters in Plant II, and laid the foundations for better workplaces and the installation of new machines. No sooner said than done. Two additional halls were built – Building D was constructed as an extension to Plant II and two bays were added to Plant III, increasing the space by 1,840 m2 in total.
1962
The expedition was a resounding success: Harrer achieved 31 first mountain ascents and the locals were enthusiastic about the grinding stones.
Tyrolit stones travel the world
In 1962, the Austrian researcher and mountaineer, Henrich Harrer, who gained fame for his books on his time in Tibet, undertook an expedition to New Guinea. Prior to this, Harrer asked Tyrolit for combination whetting stones to be able to deal with the locals. They could be used to sharpen the steel axes which Harrer had brought for them.The expedition was a resounding success: Harrer achieved 31 first mountain ascents and the locals were enthusiastic about the grinding stones.
1952
Tyrolit Develops the Secur Wheel
In 1952, two years after the opening of the new site in Schwaz, Tyrolit launched the first cut-off and rough grinding wheels with glass fabric reinforcement – Secur Wheels – on the market. This consigned the paper insert to history, because glass fabric reinforcement now held the wheel together and prevented it from disintegrating into individual parts if used incorrectly, which, among other things, posed a risk of danger to the operator. This wheel laid the foundation for Tyrolit's future growth.
1951
