Commitment
ROMI is directly committed to the development of a sustainable society and is increasingly committed to preserving natural resources.
To this end, it has an Integrated Quality, Environment, Occupational Health and Safety Policy, the pillars of which are: customer focus, compliance with legal and regulatory standards, people involvement, prevention and continuous improvement. These pillars ensure respect and care for the environment, guaranteeing shareholders a consistent and responsible return. As part of its commitment to sustainable development, ROMI has had its Environmental Management System certified since 2005, in accordance with ISO 14001, currently under revision in 2015, through which the company invests uninterruptedly and consistently in preventing the emission of pollutants in all aspects of its business.
Electricity Consumption
ROMI monitors its energy consumption through performance indicators, whose targets are reviewed annually, imposing action plans to achieve them.
In recent years, more than R$4 million has been invested in improvements aimed at reducing electricity consumption, including upgrading ROMI’s industrial park:
• 2020: R$72,000 for a photovoltaic exhaust system at Plant 03;
• 2020 to 2021: more than R$430,000 to replace furnace cooling towers;
• 2022: Investment of R$1.9 million in a channel breaking system, which aims to increase the efficiency of induction furnaces;
• 2022: Investment of R$355,000 in the modernization of air-conditioning units, with greater energy efficiency;
• 2023: Continued investment in the modernization of air-conditioning units, with greater energy efficiency, with a further R$156 thousand having been invested.
With the implementation of these actions, there has been a steady drop in electricity consumption over the last three years.
In 2021, the NR10 and SPDA adaptation project for the plants was also approved, which aims to adapt ROMI’s facilities to NBR5410 and NBR5419, with an estimated investment of R$5 million.
*Key performance indicators (KPIs) impacted by the 56.1% reduction in the net operating revenue of the Cast and Machined Castings Business Unit compared to 2022.
Base date: Dec./ 2023.
Water Consumption and Treatment
As with electricity, the conscious consumption of water is a factor of great importance for ROMI.
In recent years, thanks to the use of new technologies and better-performing products, ROMI has been able to reuse 12,000 liters of water per day in its most water-intensive production process, saving more than 28,000 liters of water per day.
In addition, ROMI regularly invests in its facilities to improve not only water savings, but also water quality, both for industrial use and for human consumption.
In 2023, around 2,600 internal chlorine analyses and more than 120 external analyses of drinking water parameters were carried out.
*Key performance indicators (KPIs) impacted by the 56.1% reduction in the net operating revenue of the Cast and Machined Castings Business Unit compared to 2022.
Base date: Dec./ 2023.
Waste and Effluent Management
Measures are also taken to manage the waste generated, whether hazardous or not, so that it can be better disposed of. In 2023, around R$2.8 million was spent on the final disposal of waste and, on the other hand, more than R$1.6 million was generated in revenue from the sale of scrap metal.
It is important to note that, in 2023 alone, our Foundry Unit used approximately 23,000 tons of scrap as raw material for the process, which contributes to the preservation of the planet’s finite natural resources by reducing the need to extract iron ore from nature.
Last year, around 32,000 tons of waste were generated, of which only 0.5% is classified as Hazardous Waste - Class I, which means less environmental impact on the community.
In addition, in a constant effort to reduce this number, since 2021 we have had a sand calciner installed in the Foundry, which aims to thermally recover foundry sand, which is currently considered the most generated waste in ROMI’s operations.
The installation of the calciner meant an investment of almost R$2.5 million and seeks to reduce/eliminate the disposal of waste in the process, with a recovery capacity of 2ton/h.
ROMI also has two effluent treatment plants, which are responsible for treating 100% of the effluent generated by the company. The average treatment efficiency is 97.5%, much higher than the figure required by law (80%). We frequently invest in preventive and corrective actions at our effluent treatment plants, thus ensuring that they continue to perform well.
Base date: Dec./ 2023.
Product Development
ROMI is recognized for its capacity for innovation and the high technology incorporated into its products.
ROMI machines stand out for their use of highly efficient materials and equipment, the use of intelligent systems, constant improvement and massive ongoing development in automation and connectivity solutions with a focus on Industry 4.0.
Currently, approximately 4% of net annual revenue is invested in the research and development of solutions aimed at making the manufacturing environment more sustainable, through technologies that minimize environmental impact, raising both the level of safety and the level of efficiency and performance of our products.
Applicability
ROMI machines are used in various industrial segments, whether in the manufacture of metal parts using machine tools or plastic parts produced by our injection molding and blow molding machines. Learn about some of the main applications of our equipment:
Automotive
Agricultural
Capital goods
Toolmaking
Medical/hospital
Oil and gas
Optimized Consumption
Consumption Management System
The monitoring of total and instantaneous energy consumption discretized by equipment in kWh and CO2, as well as making it possible to easily select one of the four operating modes, makes it possible to reduce drive power and, consequently, energy consumption by up to 36%.
Thermal Compensation
The compensation system is made up of an algorithm capable of predicting expansion and compensating for the deformation generated by heat and, consequently, reducing or even eliminating the warm-up time (pre-heating time in which the machine runs idle without producing), improving efficiency and productivity.
Finite Elements
The use of finite elements throughout the development process makes it possible to efficiently optimize the product, especially in terms of mass, thus reducing not only the inputs needed to manufacture the good and their respective waste, but also the entire motorization system used to move the moving parts.
LED lamps
The use of LED light bulbs has reduced consumption by up to 35% compared to the fluorescent models used previously.
Regenerative Modules
Regenerative modules make it possible to reuse the energy dissipated during the braking process in order to optimize energy consumption.
Servo pump - Stop and Go
Energy efficiency is maximized thanks to the use of the servo pump, which drives the hydraulic system directly, adjusting energy consumption according to the speed and pressure demand of the movements, resulting in optimized consumption.
Automatic screw speed adjustment
AI (artificial intelligence) controls in plasticizing automatically adjust to the speed of the injection screw, maximizing efficiency and minimizing energy consumption, resulting in a more economical and sustainable process, while maintaining quality without loss of productivity.
Injection Repeatability Control
AI controls improve injection, guaranteeing high repeatability and minimal variation in part weight. This reduces the use of raw materials, optimizing production and promoting sustainability by reducing waste.
Recycled materials
The bimetallic coating on plasticizing screws is an outstanding solution for the recycling industry, due to its superior resistance to wear. This technology increases the durability and guarantees high performance of the polymer injection process, even under conditions of intensive use. It is also essential for processing recycled materials that are full of impurities and abrasive in nature. This approach not only extends the life of the equipment, but also ensures efficiency and robustness in the treatment of recyclable waste, meeting the demand for more sustainable and reliable solutions in the management of recycled materials.
Waste Reduction
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Automation
In a country with high rates of accidents at work, the automation of Pick and Place operations not only improves production efficiency by increasing machine availability, but can also help to significantly increase safety levels in the factory environment.
ROMI Gantry Loader
Automatic parts loading and unloading system
TAP 760
ROMI Automatic Pallet Changer
Circular Economy
Machine Rental
Through machine rental, ROMI has developed a MAAS (Machine-as-a-Service) model, a product that focuses, among other things, directly on the sustainability of the production chain.
In this business model, the concept of the circular economy can be seen in the marketing of the high value-added asset with low investment by the customer, in the real-time monitoring of the asset through ROMI Connect, in the maintenance of the equipment in the field - guaranteeing the customer maximum productivity from the product during the contracted period - in the refurbishment of the semi-new equipment when it is returned, in making the same product available to a new customer, in addition to offering financing solutions through the PRODZ financial platform.
Circular Economy
Used machines as a form of payment
To increase productivity, flexibility, modernity and reduce maintenance costs for our customers, ROMI accepts any model of machine produced by the company as a form of payment in exchange for a new machine. Such a machine can be refurbished and returned to the market as a semi-new product or scrapped, returning to the production process as a raw material.
Circular Economy
Hybrid Technology
Hybrid technology is the combination of machining operations and additive manufacturing (metal 3D printing) in a single piece of equipment. With this, materials can be added in the exact amount, thus minimizing overmetal and optimizing the machining process, which reduces the volume of waste generated (chips).
In addition, more resistant materials can be added to certain areas of the part where wear occurs, optimizing costs.
A very interesting application, within the concept of circular economy, is the use of technology in the repair and reuse of molds, whereby the material can be deposited only in the worn area, without affecting the microstructure of the substrate, thus avoiding the generation or propagation of cracks, which increases the useful life of molds and dies.
Cast and Machined
ROMI’s Castings and Machined Products Unit has made a significant contribution to sustainability by supplying cast iron parts to customers in the wind power, automotive, agricultural machinery and construction machinery industries.
Today, wind energy already accounts for almost 14% of the Brazilian energy matrix, with growth projected for the coming years, due to the vast potential areas of wind, mainly on the Atlantic Ocean coast*.
ROMI has a manufacturing unit focused on the wind power segment, which has a monthly capacity of 1,700 tons and is the leading supplier of cast iron parts to the major multinational wind turbine manufacturers. From 2011 to the present day, more than 82,500 tons of parts have been supplied, with more than 3,600 wind turbines in operation using castings supplied by ROMI.
In the automotive segment, ROMI supplies cast and machined parts for use in trucks and buses, which fall under the new standard of the Program for the Control of Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles - Proconve P8 (Euro 6), which provides for a reduction in the emission of harmful gases from transport vehicles, representing an evolution related to the predecessor Proconve P7 (Euro 5) and leading automakers to adapt their products to achieve the emissions provided for by law.
In the agricultural and construction machinery segment, faced with the Proconve MAR-1 regulations, which provide for a reduction in engine emissions, ROMI operates in the segment with a solid order book, counting on a customer base in the local and foreign markets, which are among the main players in their respective markets.
* O SETOR. ABEEólica, 2024. Available at: https://abeeolica.org.br/energia-eolica/o-setor/
ESG 2023