Effizienz-Agentur NRW
- A Guide to Cleaner Production
www.efanrw.de

The Effizienz-Agentur NRW, based in Duisburg, supports SMEs in Nordrhein-Westfalen in the planning and implementation of their individual projects in cleaner production (PIUS). It was founded in 1998, in an initiative of the NRW Ministry for the Environment. The objective of our work is the improvement of production resource efficiency, from which both companies and the environment equally benefit.

Our Service

• Economic support through the implementation of new measures in cleaner production (PIUS)
• Mediation of external consultants for individual PIUS subjects
• Information about current PIUS programmes and projects
• Financial mediation of support-worthy projects
• Support and publication of pilot projects
• Bundling of individual initiatives to create one complete project

The PIUS Benefits

PIUS measures are specifically employed to increase efficiency of production processes. Alternatively to sustainable environmental protection measures, the benefits of using PIUS measures are appealing through:

• An increase in efficiency and conservation of resources in production
• Process focused cycle completion and recycling of materials
• Emission avoidance or prevention
• Application of alternative raw materials, auxiliary materials and factory materials
• Application of new production technology and plants

The PIUS Check:
Our Tool for your Resource Efficiency

Since 2000, the successful co-operation project - PIUS Check, has created the ideal foundation for more economic efficiency in production

for more than 300 SMEs in various industry sectors in NRW. Within a nine-day long check, the relevant material flows and the level of technology in a company are recorded. The Effizienz-Agentur NRW bears 70% of the consultation costs for consultants chosen by the company. On this basis PIUS measures are formulated which can improve the resource efficiency of a company, reduce costs and ease the burden on the environment.

PIUS Provides Competitive Advantages

Only companies with cost-optimised production, high resource efficiency and minimised waste disposal expenditure are able to constantly assert themselves in fiercely competitive markets. The economic and sustainable application of scarce resources is therefore a prerequisite for their economic future potential.

Companies Benefit from PIUS via:

• Cost sensitive production
• High resource efficiency
• Minimised waste disposal expenditure
• High employee motivation through autonomous work
• An improved image for the company and its products

The Environment Benefits from PIUS via:

• Low resource consumption
• Reduced levels of pollution
• High environmental sensitivity in industry and the public domain.

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