Schaeffler's path to data-driven waste management

Project and customer description:

Schaeffler, the global Motion Technology Company, is a leading manufacturer of rolling element bearings for automotive, aerospace, and industrial applications. The Schaeffler Group views sustainability as a comprehensive, overarching topic and assumes ecological and social responsibility throughout the entire value chain.

As part of this mission, Schaeffler partnered with Sensoneo to digitalize its waste management processes. This initiative aimed to improve operational efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and create a robust data-driven waste management system.

Challenge:

• Limited Visibility: Inefficient tracking of waste container fill levels led to unnecessary collections or delayed pickups
• Manual Operations: Staff spent significant time coordinating with external waste collection companies, often resulting in logistical inefficiencies
• Potential contamination issues: The system provides a way to document contamination with photographic evidence, offering transparency and preventing potential disputes with collection companies
• Ineffective Resource Use: Underutilized containers and redundant trips increased environmental and operational costs

Solution:

• Infrastructure Setup

  • 33 large-capacity containers: Equipped with ultrasonic sensors or another smart waste solutions to monitor fill levels in real-time
  • 17 waste types tracked: Including industrial, hazardous, and valuable recyclable materials
  • IoT integration: Real-time data transmission to Sensoneo’s platform for seamless waste management
  • Mobile app: Used by collection staff to scan QR codes for recording weights, contamination reports, and collection details
  • Digital weighing system: Ensured precise measurements and streamlined the waste tracking process

Impact (over the 12-week pilot phase):

• Operational Transparency

  • Sensoneo’s system provided real-time visibility of container statuses, saving time for staff and improving decision-making

• Data-Driven Decisions

  • Detailed analytical reports gave Schaeffler actionable insights into waste volumes, contamination levels, and pickup frequencies

• Environmental Impact

  • By optimizing logistics, Schaeffler reduced emissions by over 42,000 kg during the pilot phase alone, supporting its climate neutrality goals

• Streamlined Coordination

  • The integration of Sensoneo’s platform with external collection companies eliminated logistical inefficiencies, saving both time and resources

• Reduced Contamination Risks

  • With photo evidence for reported contamination, disputes with waste collection companies were minimized

Future outlook:

Schaeffler plans to present the Sensoneo waste management solution to its other plants in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Future enhancements include:

• Deployment of additional sensors to monitor more containers
• Real-time tracking of waste processing costs and revenues
• Expansion of non-standard waste workflows for materials like scrap pipes

Sensoneo’s waste management solution for factories and facilities: