tesa, international manufacturer of innovative adhesive tapes and self-adhesive product solutions, has been awarded the prestigious dena Energy Efficiency Award in the “Moving Forward” category. The company convinced the jury with its pioneering project “Climate-neutral Production tesa Hamburg Plant”, which sets new standards in energy efficiency and climate protection.
Innovative energy efficiency concept with exemplary character
The award-winning concept is based on three main pillars: the pioneering use of green hydrogen, the electrification of process steam with connected heat storage, and the use of AI-supported control of flexible supply systems for cost optimisation. The Hamburg plant is the largest production facility in the tesa network and manufactures energy-intensive industrial adhesive tapes for the electronics, automotive, printing and paper industries. Production requires significant amounts of process heat and steam, particularly in drying processes and for the recovery of solvents used in the manufacturing process.
As one of the first companies in Hamburg, tesa will use green hydrogen on a large scale for adhesive tape production in the future, making an important contribution to the national ramp-up of this forward-looking technology. As part of the energy transformation, the existing steam boilers are being renewed and equipped with dual burners suitable for using hydrogen. In addition, the required steam is generated electrically and can be stored until use. From the end of 2027, tesa will be able to generate sustainable steam and process heat from green hydrogen and electricity from renewable sources at the site, once the connecting lines to the hydrogen network established by the City of Hamburg have been laid and the investment projects have been implemented.
The resulting operational additional costs for renewable energy sources will be partially offset by a climate protection contract with the federal government.
The environmental impacts of the project are impressive: Primary energy demand is reduced by 30 percent, CO₂ emissions decrease by 90 percent. This underscores tesa’s commitment to climate-neutral production by 2030.
“This award is important recognition for our consistent sustainability strategy. With our innovative energy efficiency concept, we show that climate-neutral production is also possible in the chemical industry and create a model that other companies can also use,” explains Dr Ingrid Sebald, Chief Technology Officer of tesa SE.
Plant expansion in Offenburg
In other news, tesa is making a clear statement for its long-term commitment to Germany as a business location with the official start of construction for the plant expansion in Offenburg. The investment in the site not only underscores the commitment to the Offenburg region but also secures and creates future-proof jobs.
The planned plant expansion marks an important milestone for securing the future of the tesa plant in Offenburg, home of the well-known tesafilm. Since its opening in 1961, the site has developed into the highest volume production site of tesa worldwide. With an annual production of approximately 200 million square metres of adhesive tapes, more than 2,000 adhesive products and system solutions are manufactured here, 70% of which are used in strategically important growth markets such as the automotive and electronics industries. The plant expansion is a response to the increasing demand for tesa products for industrial applications, with production scheduled to start in 2027.
“With this project, we are not only strengthening our production capacities but also setting an important example for our sustainability goals,” explains Holger Rauth, Plant Manager in Offenburg. “Earlier this year, we commissioned a high-performance photovoltaic system. The more than 13,000 PV modules generate six gigawatt hours of electricity annually, covering around 25 percent of our plant’s energy needs – a significant step for our approximately 500 employees and the future of the site.”
The investments in Offenburg are an important milestone in the group-wide sustainability strategy “we do”. By 2030, tesa will invest around 300 million euros worldwide in the sustainable transformation of its business. With a CO₂ reduction of 39 percent (Scope 1 and 2) already achieved, the company is well on its way to the goal of climate-neutral production. The consistent transition to renewable energy makes a significant contribution: tesa already covers 90 percent of its global electricity needs from sustainable sources. As a multinational company active in over 100 countries and operating plants in Germany, Italy, China, USA, and Vietnam, tesa is committed to its responsibility for the environment and society. With around 5,400 employees worldwide, tesa continuously works on developing more sustainable products and solvent-free production processes.