Mid-sized DKF Kloz GmbH investing in pollution control

Mit rund 40 Beschäftigten stellt DKF Kloz GmbH Drahtprodukte her und beschichtet sie. Vor der Optimierung der Absaugung rauchte es an den vier Schweißmaschinen so stark, dass man die Mitarbeiter kaum erkennen konnte. / With approximately 40 employees, DKF Kloz manufactures and coats wire products.

Dicke Luft in der Halle ist Vergangenheit. Heute: völlig rauchfrei: Heute funktioniert die Absaugung so gut, dass die gefilterte Luft im Winter wieder in die Halle zurückgeführt wird. Die Beschäftigten können an ihrem Arbeitsplatz wieder unbesorgt durchatmen. „Sie sind begeistert“, sagt Cengiz Öztok. „Der Krankenstand ist deutlich gesunken.“ / Current status: Totally fume free. Ultimate success was achieved with an extraction system that operates sufficiently well to recirculate the filtered air back into the plant during winter. Employees can now breathe fresh air in their workplace.

Verdienter Applaus: Die DKF Kloz GmbH aus Fellbach zeigt, was Mittelständler in Sachen Umweltschutz leisten können. Dafür nahm Geschäftsführer Cengiz Öztok beim sogenannten KEFFIZIENZGIPFEL eine Urkunde von der baden-württembergischen Umweltministerin Thekla Walker entgegen. Keller Lufttechnik trug zum Erfolg bei und konzipierte und installierte eine energieeffiziente Absauganlage, die eine Reinluftrückführung in die Halle ermöglicht. / DKF Kloz from Fellbach, which has proven that mid-sized companies can contribute towards environmental protection. For their efforts, Managing Director Cengiz Öztok was awarded a certificate by Thekla Walker, Minister for the Environment in Baden-Württemberg, at the KEFFIZIENZGIPFEL event. We at Keller Lufttechnik are proud to have contributed to their success by planning and installing an energy-efficient extraction system that enables clean air to be recirculated into the plant.

Die Firma DKF Kloz GmbH (Draht, Kunststoffe und Farben) ist mittlerweile seit ca. 50 Jahren am Markt etabliert. Die DKF hat ihren Sitz in Fellbach und entwickelt, produziert und verkauft Fertigerzeugnisse aus Draht, Kunststoff und deren Kombinationen. / DKF Kloz GmbH (wire, plastics and paints) has been established in the marketplace for about 50 years. Located in Fellbach, DKF develops, produces and sells finished products consisting of wire, plastics and their combinations.

Employing approximately 40 people, DKF Kloz manufactures and coats wire products. As a finalist for the Gipfelstürmer Award, the company is a recent recipient of a special commendation by the state government of Baden-Württemberg, having emerged as an environmentally responsible industry model. Keller Lufttechnik supported the success of their project. As experts for clean air, we engineered and installed an energy-efficient extraction system that enables clean air to be recirculated into the plant.

DKF: The initials represent Draht, Kunststoffe, Farben (wire, plastics, paints). Based in Fellbach near Stuttgart, the company produces, among other items, draining grids, gabion baskets and dishwasher baskets. "We are one of a very few companies that also offer the surface coating of wire products at our premises," explains Managing Director Cengiz Öztok. "Our customers request us to either powder-coat or coat them with plastic."

Poor air quality inside the plant

The company launched a thorough sustainability offensive in 2021. The reason: "We experienced polluted air inside the plant," Öztok reports. "The fumes on the four welding machines were so heavy that I could barely see my employees. In the initial preparation, the wires were moistened with oil while being cut to size. The subsequent welding operation actually triggered explosions at 2,000 degrees Celsius because oil evaporates and disperses into the air. Our old extraction system was virtually useless in this regard.

Current status: Totally fume free

Cengiz Öztok fortunately remembered Keller Lufttechnik. "I knew they would come up with a solution," says the DKF-Kloz managing director. Ultimate success was achieved with an extraction system that operates sufficiently well to recirculate the filtered air back into the plant during winter. Heating and energy costs have been reduced. The extraction system has filtered out more than 99.9 percent of airborne pollutants. Employees can now breathe fresh air in their workplace. "They are delighted," says Cengiz Öztok. "The rate of sick leave has dropped significantly." The managing director further received a grant from the German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) for the investment in the new extraction system.

KLR filter & dosing system

Our responsible sales representative, Thomas Schneider, explains the technology of the extraction system: "It operates with our KLR bran filter which stands out for its long service life and extremely high separation efficiency." Additionally, the piping system was equipped with an automatic dosing system that applies limestone powder. The powder absorbs oil and welding fumes, thereby providing fire prevention. The limestone powder then forms a filter boosting layer on the filter surface. This ensures that the filter does not clog and can be easily cleaned using compressed air pulses at just four bar. The entire filter surface remains operational for the long term, while the extraction performance remains constant.

Well-deserved praise

Recently, Cengiz Öztok was pleased to garner public credit for his sustainability projects. At the Gipfelstürmer Award of the Ministry for Environment, Climate and Energy Management Baden-Württemberg, DKF Klotz was among the ten finalists, and was awarded a certificate. Ultimately, the new extraction systems are just one of the many components geared towards energy efficiency and environmental responsibility at the Fellbach-based company. "Following what is known as a KEFF test offered by the Regional Competence Centers Network Energy Efficiency (KEFF) in Baden-Württemberg, we also replaced an aging compressor, remedied leaks, installed on-demand lighting and introduced shopfloor management," says Öztok. "We are thereby proving that even smaller companies can contribute to environmental support!