Joint efforts achieve excellence

SWARCO Road Marking Systems rely on various forms of cooperation around the globe. This creates a strong network of partnerships - in the immediate neighborhood and across national borders.

With high-quality products and services, SWARCO Road Marking Systems make an important contribution to increasing road safety worldwide. However, the SWARCO division also contributes to the environment and society by working with other companies, organizations, and institutions outside of everyday business. Networking with local residents (communities), mutual exchange with associations, NGOs, schools and research institutions, and the implementation of specific projects with neighboring companies are ways to drive these contributions.

Cooperation between two neighboring global players: voestalpine Precision Strip GmbH's plant uses heat from the world's most modern glass bead production facility at the SWARCO Global Glass Beads Technology Center in Neufurth. A successful collaboration, as the handshake between Gregor Hochrieser (Maintenance Manager voestalpine Precision Strip GmbH) and Andreas Illich (Managing Director M. Swarovski GmbH) demonstrates.

Forging alliances

Nature leads the way: Symbioses can be found in many places - lichens are just one typical example. Accordingly, it makes sense for SWARCO Road Marking Systems to align with neighboring companies as partners to benefit from joint synergies. Joint energy initiatives are established to make an active contribution to reducing CO2 emissions. One example for this is the use of heat from the production process of retroreflective glass beads - this is not only used to optimize the company's own processes and to heat its own buildings but is also passed on to neighbouring companies - to massively reduce gas consumption and save CO2 emissions collectively.

This is just the beginning, however: In the future, other services could also be shared and offered to neighboring communities and businesses. Joint biotope maintenance measures are planned to preserve biodiversity in areas worthy of protection.

Inspiration, knowledge exchange, networking

SWARCO Road Marking Systems also works closely with highly respected universities. One example is the annual sponsorship of the Road Safety Summer School at the University of Zagreb, an international summer academy on various road safety topics. The Center of Competence, the globally networked research and development department of SWARCO Road Marking Systems, works together with well-known faculties on exciting projects. "For us, collaboration means growing together with our partners for our mutual success. In such projects, both sides benefit from the expertise and possibilities of the other party," explains Simon Alkin, Project Manager in the Research & Development department at SWARCO Road Marking Systems.

Cooperation with universities, research institutes and schools also take place on another level: SWARCO employees supervise final theses - from A-level projects to master's theses. In addition, "Future Days" on a variety of topics (e.g., circular economy and sustainability) are organized with school groups and educational brochures for pupils on the prevention of addiction and violence are also financially supported.

Taking positive action in the region

The SWARCO Road Marking Systems company in Recklinghausen (Germany) has achieved another form of cooperation with schools. There, they joined forces with other companies and design the open spaces of a school playground in the neighboring town free of charge. "We developed the concept together, provided the material and the markers applied it free of charge. It's great when everything works hand in hand in a social project like this - and in the end so many people can enjoy the beautifully designed school playground," says Benjamin Bittner, Managing Director at the location.

The company site in Recklinghausen is also doing its part for nature - and is cooperating here as well. For example, the employees eagerly collected donations on a joint bike ride with the regional nature conservation association NABU. Benjamin Bittner can envision even more activities in the future: "We are considering possible volunteer projects together with NABU - for instance, building an insect hotel for our company garden." Numerous other ideas for going the extra mile together with partners are already in place at all of the SWARCO Road Marking Systems sites.

About SWARCO Road Marking Systems

Quality products and services from SWARCO Road Marking Systems guide traffic safely from A to B by day and, above all, by night. On all types of roads. Whatever the weather. From a single source. Over 5,000 customers in more than 80 countries place their trust in them.

For further information visit: www.swarco.com/rms