Printing company Thiekötter relies on efficient technotrans cooling technology with natural refrigerant
Sustainable action and the efficient use of resources are fundamental values for Thiekötter Druck GmbH & Co. KG based in Münster. With a corporate environmental protection system, the company pursues a holistic approach and consistently relies on the latest technologies to minimise its carbon footprint. In the field of thermal management, Thiekötter has been relying on energy-efficient systems from technotrans for more than 20 years. Now, both partners are taking the next step: for its new HP Indigo 15K digital printing press, Thiekötter became the first print shop to invest in the new generation of the technotrans ECOtec.chiller xtend with natural refrigerant.
When Thomas Edison presented the first functioning light bulb in 1879, Thiekötter printing company in Münster, Westphalia, laid the foundation for a tradition in the printing trade that has lasted more than 140 years. Today, the company is run by the fifth generation, siblings Anja and Daniel Thiekötter. The printing company produces packaging and promotional materials using offset and digital printing in small to medium runs for renowned customers in the premium segment. A key success factor is the company’s strategic flexibility, having always been quick to adapt to changes in the dynamic print market. As early as the beginning of the 2000s, Thiekötter invested in digital printing technologies, which have been continuously expanded ever since. According to Managing Director Daniel Thiekötter: "Especially in recent years, the demand for high-quality packaging, individual labels and special prints has risen sharply."
One thing, however, has remained unchanged over the years: the company’s comprehensive commitment to sustainability and resource efficiency. Within the framework of its corporate environmental protection system, Thiekötter continually optimises its processes. Measures range from the use of FSC®-certified papers and 100% green electricity to printing inks made from renewable raw materials and the use of waste heat from printing presses for heating. The company even offers customers the opportunity to offset the CO₂ emissions generated, enabling them to receive a CO₂-neutral print product. Technology plays a central role in this: "Our main focus is on efficient production. We rely on modern solutions in measurement and control technology as well as in peripheral systems," Thiekötter emphasises.
High-end thermal management for optimum production processes
An important efficiency factor for Thiekötter is the thermal management of its printing machines. The company has been relying on systems from technotrans for over 20 years. "We have always appreciated the constructive, partnership-based collaboration and regional proximity," says Thiekötter. "When it came to procuring a new digital press, technotrans was once again our first port of call." The key question for Thiekötter was: what is the best solution for the process while also being the most ecological? In addition to one hundred percent availability, the printing press required cooling water temperatures in the single-digit range, high control accuracy, and cooling capacity regulated according to print performance. After a detailed analysis of these requirements and the production conditions by technotrans, the answer was clear: Thiekötter opted for a customised version of the ECOtec.chiller xtend with natural refrigerant.
According to Peter Böcker, Head of Division Print at technotrans, the cooling solution is a powerful system designed to meet the highest demands. "The ECOtec.chiller is a low-vibration, low-noise cooling solution that works energy-efficiently at all times thanks to variable-speed drives." The xtend series is equipped with highly efficient plate heat exchangers for general liquid cooling. Combined with microchannel technology, the refrigerant use is reduced by up to 60% compared to conventional solutions. Energy costs are also significantly lower: depending on the ambient temperature, the device autonomously regulates the system's optimal operating point (SEPR value). This enables energy savings of up to 30%. "With these features, the chiller directly contributes to Thiekötter’s goal of consistently reducing its carbon footprint," says Böcker.
Future-proof positioning
Furthermore, the compact unit is particularly powerful with an energy density of 60 kilowatts per square metre while also offering high operational reliability. Additional sensors permanently monitor the process in both the cooling and coolant circuits. The modular design of the ECOtec.chiller xtend offers maximum flexibility, allowing technotrans to tailor the unit precisely to the requirements of Thiekötter’s digital printing operations. A unique feature of the version supplied to the Münster-based printing company is the use of the natural refrigerant R290 (propane). "In addition to the system’s energy efficiency, the use of a natural refrigerant is a major advantage for us. In the medium to long term, this will lead to a noticeable further improvement in our carbon footprint," Thiekötter emphasises.
Thanks to the technotrans solution, the print shop is also well positioned for the future in light of the EU-wide F-gas regulation. From 2027, newly installed systems with a cooling capacity greater than 12 kW will only be permitted to use refrigerants with a global warming potential (GWP) value of no more than 750. For smaller systems, the limit will be a maximum GWP of 150. Even today, government subsidies are exclusively granted to systems operating with natural refrigerants. The GWP value indicates how much a refrigerant contributes to global warming compared to carbon dioxide (GWP = 1). The natural refrigerant propane has a GWP value of 0.02 and is therefore a long-term and environmentally friendly solution for thermal management systems. This early switch to a natural refrigerant solution not only ensures regulatory compliance for Thiekötter but also offers economic advantages: the updated F-gas regulation foresees a continuous reduction in the use of partially fluorinated hydrocarbons within the EU. "This will make high-GWP refrigerants increasingly scarce, harder to procure, and unpredictably more expensive," explains Böcker.
Smooth processes thanks to proven cooperation
According to Thiekötter, the long-standing partners once again worked together efficiently and seamlessly from the project launch through commissioning and beyond. "We are once again very satisfied with the advice and intensive exchange, particularly during the first six months after commissioning," says Thiekötter. During this field test phase, technotrans carried out minor fine-tuning adjustments to the cooling solution to ensure exact and optimal parameters for the operation of the digital printing press.
For Thiekötter, one thing is already certain: this will not be the last investment in environmentally friendly technologies. "Our ambition is to be climate-neutral by 2030," says Thiekötter. Both companies are thus pursuing a common path: technotrans has also set itself the target of achieving climate-neutral production at all locations worldwide by the end of the 2030 financial year.
Further informationen under: www.technotrans.com