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We lead the way:
Sustainability and Climate Protection

<h1 class="h2"><span style="font-size:10pt;">We lead the way:</span><br />Sustainability and Climate Protection</h1>

A business model with a future

The economy of the future will be a circular economy. An economy in which products are manufactured as environmentally friendly as possible, used for as long as possible and recycled as completely as possible. Anyone who invests in used machinery makes an important contribution to achieving this goal.

Used machines save raw materials and CO2

Every used machine sold on surplex.com saves considerable amounts of CO2 and raw materials compared to new production. With around 55,000 machines and operating equipment going under the hammer every year, the CO2 reduction amounts to around 25,000 t annually* - a considerable sustainability factor! We help to ensure less waste and more reuse. Our auction platform even breathes new life into old machines. On the world market, there is a sensible use for almost every product.

CO2 crisis: our customers are part of the solution

By purchasing used machines, our customers make a conscious decision for cost efficiency, short delivery times and more sustainability. We help buyers and sellers to achieve ambitious climate targets. The sales process itself is also becoming increasingly contactless and low-emission thanks to our services. When machine sales are perfectly prepared and smoothly handled, many trips around the globe can be avoided. As a result, not only our customers benefit, but also the planet.

*Additional CO2 emissions if the machines we sell had been newly manufactured. Source: statista.com.

Sustainability in action
Sustainability in action

Big changes start with small steps, e.g. with the Surplex sustainability initiative:
• » Orchard Meadows project (see original image)
• Initiative » Review Forest
• Surplex loan bikes
• Discounted public transport tickets
• Recycling box for old mobile phones
• Optimised office lighting
• Elimination of plastic bottles, etc.

We are climate partners
We are climate partners

Surplex puts an end to paper waste. That's why we signed a climate-neutral contract with our print office in April 2023. We reduce printouts to a minimum and train our employees in how to sign documents digitally (whenever legally possible). Only a few printouts cannot be avoided. The associated CO2 emissions are offset by the service provider CLIMATE PARTNER through globally recognised climate projects with » certificates.

Surplex & the ALICIA Project

The ALICIA project (Horizon Europe Framework; EU contribution: € 5.859.525,50) introduces a groundbreaking circular manufacturing ecosystem with profound societal, economical, ethical, and environmental implications, aligning with the principles of Industry 5.0.            

By prioritizing sustainability and resilience in production resource management, ALICIA aims to revolutionize industrial practices by facilitating the reuse and circulation of second-hand assets within a closed-loop system, enabled by digitization, AI and data sharing. The goal is to reduce new production lines’ material and energy requirements by at least 70% and achieve a reuse rate of up to 100% using second-hand production equipment. This transition to a circular economy not only reduces waste and enhances resource efficiency but also upholds ethical standards by extending the lifespan of valuable production assets.        
Through a human-centric approach, the project aims to provide re-and up-skilling of workers and equal opportunities for women workers to engage in and benefit from the circular economy model, thereby advancing gender equality and fostering diversity in industrial settings. As a key partner, Surplex will act as a hub and will facilitate the matchmaking process between incumbent factory assets and second-hand equipment, by providing its own database of used-assets and the know-how of a similar platform for sales of these assets, of its data structures and internal processes.         

Additionally, the collaboration with important industrial partners like “Continental” and “Comau” brings valuable expertise in automotive engineering and robotics, respectively, enriching the ALICIA ecosystem with innovative solutions and necessary industry insights. The ALICIA project brings together 12 international partners and is led by the Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management at the Technical University of Munich, in Germany.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or  European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.