Business philosophy

Business philosophy

As an independent company, we are able to operate in a free and unbureaucratic manner, and, most importantly, in the interests of our customers at all times.

Our actions revolve around the needs of our customers in the industrial and automotive sectors, thereby facilitating growth in our core areas and safeguarding the futures of the employees at our locations. This philosophy is also reflected in our corporate structure - the Holding, the Business Unit Steel, and the Business Unit Aluminium - business segments that are taylored to the needs of our customers and operate across locations.

Our corporate success plays a crucial role in future investments, for example, in customer interfaces, process optimization, machine technology, training, and logistics, thus creating a long-term basis for profitability and customer satisfaction.

Our value-oriented company culture, which combines entrepreneurial freedom with open, goal-oriented, and, most importantly, appreciative leadership, makes us a competent partner. We attach great importance to consistently high quality standards, the greatest possible occupational safety, the advancement of our employees, as well as the responsible handling of the environment and energy. Each of these goals is of equal importance to us.

We guarantee the highest quality

We are only satisfied when our customers are satisfied. Therefore, ensuring that our products and services are of a consistently high quality is of the utmost priority. We understand the expectations that our customers have of us. We fulfil these expectations in compliance with all current standards and under continuous inspection, resulting in finished, customized solutions of the highest quality. Every employee contributes to the quality of our products and services through his or her personal performance. This is a point of pride for us.

Quality policy

As a company, we are maximally focused on our customers and their satisfaction. We want to achieve this with constantly increasing product and service quality. The customer sets the standard for quality.

  • We see high quality as the basis for our sustainable success. The Executive Board and the Managing Directors take responsibility for quality, define the quality policy and the strategic quality objectives. We conduct regular assessments of the effectiveness of the Integrated Management System.
  • We understand the expectations formulated by our customers, implement them and pursue a zero-defect strategy. Likewise, we develop products and services that exceed our customers' expectations or have not yet been formulated in this way.
  • We consistently apply, monitor and continuously improve the quality management system in cooperation with all interested parties. We comply with legal and official requirements, regulations, and other applicable directives.
  • We comply with legal and official requirements, rules and other applicable regulations; they represent minimum standards for us. We are also committed to the environment, human rights and social expectations.
  • The foundation for our success as a company is formed by qualified employees who, thanks to their corresponding awareness, identify with the company policy. Every employee is personally committed to the quality standards and also bears decision-making responsibility for this.
  • We strive for the highest possible error prevention and reduction of waste in all company processes. Zero-defect quality is our goal and management task.
  • As part of the sustainability assessment, the value-adding activities in the organisation are increased. The use of the best available technology, with due regard to economic efficiency, ensures capable, safe and environmentally sound processes.

We secure jobs and protect our employees

Safeguarding the future for employees and companies is one of the top priorities for how we handle business. To this end, we are passionate and committed – on our team and with all employees. After all, our workforce is our success factor. Their competence, their experience and especially their high level of motivation make us strong. That is why we provide the highest degree of occupational protection and comprehensive health care. Targeted training and further education are just as important to us as technical and organisational measures for the best working conditions and maximum occupational safety.

Safety, health and occupational safety policy

  • We ensure that we follow all pertinent requirements for occupational safety and health protection and that we even surpass standard levels wherever reasonable and possible.
  • Our employees are very important to us! We guarantee the highest possible degree of protection at the workplace with technical, organisational and personal means.
  • All members of managerial staff are in charge of and directly responsible for the occupational safety and health of their employees and even third parties in their areas. They should act as role models for their employees and motivate them to the highest standards of occupational safety.
  • We expect all employees to take responsibility for safety. This applies to both their own safety as well as to the safety of people and facilities they work with.
  • We rigorously analyse the circumstances that resulted in an accident at the workplace – or could have led to one – and implement corrective measures. This is because accidents are never a matter of chance and they contradict our business philosophy.
  • We commit ourselves, as far as possible, to eliminate hazards and minimize safety, health and occupational safety risks. Legal obligations and other requirements represent a minimum for us.
  • We support the consultation and participation of employees

We work sustainably

As one of the leading factory-independent companies in the sector of manufacturing, distributing and processing products made of steel and aluminium, sustainability and responsible handling of natural resources is of great significance for us. Our environmental policy is intended to help us be conscious of the protection and preservation of natural resources in our day-to-day activities.

The raw materials that we obtain around the world from an international network are characterised by a large proportion of recycled material. Steel and aluminium have belonged to some of the most important and most environmentally compatible materials for years in a variety of sectors and fields of application. We can’t even imagine our everyday lives without products made of steel and aluminium. That is why we are committed to responsible production and processing.

Energy policy

  • The guidelines and objectives of our energy policy are applied in compliance with legal obligations.
  • To that end, we provide the necessary financial and structural conditions.
  • We strive to keep the use of natural resources – in particular, energy – as low as possible, taking the general economic conditions into account, and derive strategic and operational goals from this approach.
  • Our manufacturing processes are designed to be energy-efficient in order to prevent environmental pollution to the greatest extent possible and to keep unavoidable pollution to a minimum.
  • We take the latest technological developments into account when making new investments as well as when upgrading existing equipment, using energy-efficient machines and processes to the extent that this is economically justifiable.
  • We check our plants and activities for potential energy savings and take appropriate measures to avoid disruptions or minimize their effects.
  • We promote a sense of responsibility for energy use among our employees at all levels. We involve all employees in the implementation and execution of the energy management system, and we define responsibilities.
  • We take precautions to ensure that our contractual partners comply with the requirements of the energy management systems used at our sites.
  • We ensure compliance with applicable requirements regarding energy use, energy consumption and energy efficiency.
  • We are committed to the continuous improvement of energy-related performance and the energy management system.

We are reducing how much energy we consume

As part of our energy management system, we continuously work toward saving resources, such as energy and raw materials, and reducing emissions and waste. We see the protection of our natural resources as a joint task, in which we involve our suppliers and partners as well as each individual employee.

Through the use of state-of-the-art machinery, innovative processes for finishing and surface treatment, as well as dynamic logistics concepts, we not only contribute to an energy-efficient production and distribution process, resulting in the lowest possible impact on nature and the environment, but also to the competitiveness of our company and our customers.

Energy policy

  • The guidelines and objectives of our energy policy are applied in compliance with legal obligations.
  • To that end, we provide the necessary financial and structural conditions.
  • We strive to keep the use of natural resources – in particular, energy – as low as possible, taking the general economic conditions into account, and derive strategic and operational goals from this approach.
  • Our manufacturing processes are designed to be energy-efficient in order to prevent environmental pollution to the greatest extent possible and to keep unavoidable pollution to a minimum.
  • We take the latest technological developments into account when making new investments as well as when upgrading existing equipment, using energy-efficient machines and processes to the extent that this is economically justifiable.
  • We check our plants and activities for potential energy savings and take appropriate measures to avoid disruptions or minimize their effects.
  • We promote a sense of responsibility for energy use among our employees at all levels. We involve all employees in the implementation and execution of the energy management system, and we define responsibilities.
  • We take precautions to ensure that our contractual partners comply with the requirements of the energy management systems used at our sites.
  • We ensure compliance with applicable requirements regarding energy use, energy consumption and energy efficiency.
  • We are committed to the continuous improvement of energy-related performance and the energy management system.

Code of Conduct

You can find the Code of Conduct of the Knauf Interfer Group here or in the Service / Download area.

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