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Our strategic vision Hero@Zero
The Masterflex Group has set itself an ambitious goal by 2035 under the title "Hero@Zero": The transition of the Group's business model into a circular economy system.
What are the goals of the strategic version Hero@Zero?
The aim of the strategy is to gradually transform the existing product, consulting and solution expertise into a system based on a circular economy by 2035.
The most important building block to make this possible is the digital hose world AMPIUS®: only by digitizing all products (digital product passport) and their life cycle can a circular economy of hoses and connection systems be mapped.
The vision is to gradually reorganize the current consulting and product business and expand it to include additional services such as take-back, recycling and eco-certification. As a leading company in its market ("Hero"), the Masterflex Group is thus committed to not consuming any additional resources (i.e. "Zero").
In addition to operational excellence, digitalization and internationalization, this is a further aspect of the Masterflex Group's transformation into a company that will continue to be secure and modern in the future.
Cooperation with Remondis
The strategic cooperation is intended to pave the way for high-performance plastics in the circular economy.
Masterflex SE from Gelsenkirchen and REMONDIS Recycling GmbH & Co KG from Lünen have entered into a long-term cooperation agreement: The aim is to set up a circular economy for industrial products made of engineering plastics and to implement it as an example in the market for hose and connection systems.
Press release (GER) on the cooperationWebsite REMONDIS Recycling
Hero@Zero - First steps
Braungart EPEA helps with expertise
We have been cooperating with the Braungart EPEA Institute since 2023. They support us with their expertise in material analysis, product redesign and the development of new business models. Braungart EPEA has long been an innovation partner for institutions and companies in the design of environmentally friendly and recyclable products. Prof. Michael Braungart is considered the founder of the cradle-to-cradle concept
Find out more about the institute and the founder of the cradle-to-cradle concept.
Strategic vision not without digital product management!
Hero@Zero is also based on our AMPIUS® development
Digital hose management with the Masterflex Group
Our AMPIUS® hose management system enables the digital mapping of products. Manufacturing data, components and information on each product can be viewed here. This is comparable to the government's efforts to create a "digital product passport".
A so-called "digital twin" of products, the documentation of use and the end of the life cycle is the prerequisite for the path we are striving for. We also want to use AMPIUS® to manage used products and their return to a cycle of recyclable materials.
All Masterflex hose systems have a chip installed as standard to optimize lifecycle tracking and predictive maintenance processes. Sensor-based hoses are also possible.
The system will initially be usable for Masterflex Group products, and the AMPIUS® application may be opened up at a later date to support users of the system.
How does the Hero@Zero strategic vision fit into the overall picture?
Core values of the Masterflex Group
There are many factors that influence a corporate strategy. The Masterflex Group has been acting in accordance with the brand core"Connecting Values" for years. This comprises the values holistic, value-creating, leading and customized. In accordance with these aspects, the subsequent management of the strategic orientation, taking into account external influencing factors, is the logical continuation.
The latest publications on Hero@Zero
There will be pressure ...
The expected market environment will be a challenge
With the Hero@Zero vision, Masterflex Group is setting out as a "first mover" in the industry. In this way, we will also be one step ahead of the expected changes in legislation - whether it is a plastics tax or the pricing of CO₂ emissions.
For us as a group of companies focusing on hose and connection solutions made from high-performance plastics, however, this also means another challenge: in the interests of our customers, this should be as economical as possible!
As our CEO outlines in an interview with "Technischer Handel": "This means developing overall concepts that prevent hoses from becoming exorbitantly expensive. By combining requirements management, the right choice of materials and ideal processing, we want to be able to supply affordable products that are as ecologically clean as possible in a circular economy."
Our strategists have recognized the economic and political development as an opportunity to think further than just recycling. This is no easy task, especially in the field of engineering plastics. However, our CEO knows that such an attitude does not yet apply to the entire industry: "(...) the topic of sustainability is already present for many of our customers today, but we are clearly riding ahead of the big wave. There is currently little pressure to adapt, which is why customer interest is still low."
Transformation of the business model
In addition to material testing and adaptation, the reorientation also includes a radical rethink of existing sales models.
Dr. Andreas Bastin explains that the development of holistic concepts to integrate hose systems made of high-performance plastics into the circular economy in a way that is not only cost-efficient but also ecologically sustainable is to be achieved through requirements management, precise material selection and optimal processing. This expertise, combined with digital product management, offers the prospect of a potentially completely new business model.
Digitally tradable and recyclable hose and connection solutions should offer customers something above all: They should be able to transparently determine and gradually reduce their CO₂ impact.
CEO Andreas Bastin: "We will be able to certify to the customer: This is your ESG or CO₂ footprint that you leave behind by using these hoses." Compliance with expected social regulations certainly plays a central role for companies in this respect. The task now is to develop a circular economy system for hoses and connection solutions that can be used to map the "second half of the life cycle", i.e. take-back and recycling. This, as outlined by Dr. Bastin, not only enables a sustainable transformation within the hose industry, but also creates potential for scaling.
Cooperation with Braungart EPEA
Utilization of external expertise
Things are going well for us: since 2023, we have been cooperating with Braungart EPEA - Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH as part of our previously communicated Group strategy Hero@Zero
If the name EPEA doesn't ring a bell, Braungart EPEA is an innovation partner for institutions and companies offering support in the development of environmentally friendly and recyclable products. The founder, Prof. Michael Braungart, is considered the originator of the cradle-to-cradle concept and you have probably come across the topic of the circular economy before.
Braungart EPEA is currently helping the Masterflex Group with its expertise in material analysis and the evaluation of our current products. Our project team at the Gelsenkirchen site has already learned a lot from the collaboration and is already in the process of evaluating the ABC-X analysis. The project team is currently in the process of product redesign. This means that alternative materials are being sought and tested for materials that are not cradle-to-cradle compliant.
"There's a lot to consider if you're serious about the circular economy: the cleaning agents and solvents used, the (...) additives - everything is being put to the test." Says Dr. Andreas Bastin in an interview with TH Technischer Handel.
The Masterflex Group CEO himself has an engineering background and experience with transformation processes.
Workshop with Braungart EPEA
Exchange and inspiration - workshop for colleagues from the Masterflex Group
We had the privilege of welcoming the chemist Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart, a pioneer in the field of sustainability and co-founder of the cradle-to-cradle design concept, to the Gelsenkirchen site!
In inspiring workshops and subsequent Q&A sessions, our managers, colleagues from various business units and Masterflex Group CEO Dr. Andreas Bastin immersed themselves in the principles of C2C, which is a central driving force behind our realigned Group strategy.
The Professor of Chemistry and Managing Director of Braungart EPEA-Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH and his team gave the participants an insight into their work and successes. The new business models associated with the radically different thinking behind the C2C principles were also highlighted.
The discussion on the meaningfulness of carbon footprints in the context of the "Hero@Zero" corporate strategy that is now guiding us was also particularly interesting. Prof. Dr. Braungart's views will undoubtedly continue to drive our future decisions and initiatives in the area of sustainability and further business model development.
We are grateful for this enriching experience and look forward to integrating the insights into our Hero@Zero vision!
Digital challenges
Digital product passport - our hose management system as the basis!
At the Digital Summit Euregio, digitalization met sustainability once again: Henning F. Mettge spoke in a panel discussion about the importance of a digital twin as the basis for the Digital Product Passport.
He spoke about the problems that arise in practice and their digital solutions. Another speaker, Saredin Seine, also sees a challenge ahead: his company (SEINE Batteriesysteme) produces battery systems that should be the first to receive a product passport. There are still many unanswered questions on this topic. Thomas L. Rödding, who observes and actively supports committee work throughout Europe, showed how these questions are being answered. Lars Baumgürtel (ZINQ) gave a refreshing boost of hope: his company has shown how it can be done with a product.
Overall, the discussion and concluding Q&A session showed that there is no way forward without structured data. Systematization is the best basis for being prepared for the future.
Our Masterflex SE CEO Dr. Andreas Bastin takes a similar view: "The most important basic requirement is that the hoses are clearly identifiable - and we can ensure that."
At the Masterflex Group, this means that we are ready for our extended mission to bring our products into the circular economy and to be Hero@Zero.
