WAGNER: Fire protection is environmental protection - also in logistics
- WAGNER addresses this topic at LogiMAT 2023 and explains how, in addition to protecting lives and values and maintaining delivery capability, sustainability goals can also be achieved through fire protection
- Fire prevention protects from emissions
- Minimize risk of fires and fire consequences when storing hazardous materials such as lithium-ion batteries
Langenhagen. Sustainability is a key issue even in logistics. After all, the protection of air and water quality as well as the reduction of emissions are a task for society as a whole, and sustainability has now become a central economic factor. At LogiMAT 2023 in Stuttgart, WAGNER Group GmbH, as one of the technology leaders in the areas of fire detection and fire prevention, will be presenting from April 25 to 27 in Hall 7 at Stand C15 how logistics companies make their contribution to climate and environmental protection through holistic fire protection - and how appropriate fire protection solutions support the implementation and achievement of their sustainability goals.
Ecological impact of fire events
"When it comes to the planning and diverse use of warehouse real estate, the topic of fire protection should always be included in the considerations in the course of a risk, profitability and protection objective analysis," says Steffen Springer, Managing Director of the WAGNER Group GmbH. Key word: warehouse logistics with a high concentration of values. Fire events destroy material assets of the property and the stored goods and can jeopardize the ability to deliver. In addition, the ecological consequences are often fatal: Fumes, smoke and soot particles and other potentially toxic substances and compounds are released, depending on the goods stored. Each combustion also emits large amounts of CO2. Fire residues and non-destructive extinguishing agents used in the course of firefighting can sometimes cause catastrophic consequential damage, contaminated extinguishing water can endanger the cleanliness of the groundwater.
“Any fire that can be avoided is the best solution for excluding people from being at risk and protecting processes and the environment. Active fire prevention, which works with the principle of oxygen reduction in the areas to be protected, is one of the most effective ways if doing this,” states Steffen Springer. "We developed our OxyReduct® system for this purpose."
Special case lithium-ion batteries
The demand for new storage space is unbroken, and the focus is increasingly high on the storage of lithium-ion batteries. One of the drivers is the automotive industry with its increasing volumes in the field of e-mobility. In Germany, this is particularly evident in the new Tesla "Gigafactory" in Brandenburg - and in the federal government's plans to bring at least 15 million e-cars onto Germany's roads by 2030.* Storage solutions for these energy storage systems are also being used in other sectors required, which are also used in laptops, smartphones and e-bikes, for example.
Kuno Neumeier, CEO of Logivest and spokesman for the topic of logistics real estate of the German Logistics Association (BVL), predicts the storage area required for lithium-ion batteries to be around 7 million square meters by the year 2030.**
When it comes to storage, these energy sources place special demands on fire protection because they harbor the risk of self-ignition through thermal runaway – sometimes with fatal economic and environmentally hazardous consequences. In the case of a thermal runaway, the fire process cannot be interrupted by extinguishing, pollutants are released, and spillover to other stored goods often leads to rapid spread of the fire.
In order to protect the goods from damage caused by fire, to prevent business interruptions and their consequential damage, to maintain the ability to deliver and to avoid environmental hazards, especially when storing the hazardous material lithium-ion battery, holistic fire protection solutions are indispensable. These consist of the earliest possible fire detection in combination with active fire prevention and organizational fire protection measures. At the LogiMAT, WAGNER will use the example of the reference project for KETTLER Alu-Rad GmbH to show what such a holistic and individually designed solution can look like.
For more information on WAGNER's trade fair presence, interested parties can visit: bit.ly/41kIzxO
More on the subject of fire protection is environmental protection under: bit.ly/3KLPJ6W
References (in German language):
** https://www.logivest.de/news/lithium-ionen-batterien-fordern-deutschen-logistikimmobilienmarkt
Press Release Images
With its comprehensive product portfolio in fire protection,WAGNER offers holistic solutions for the protection of people, values and the environment.
Steffen Springer, Managing Director of WAGNER Group GmbH
In the event of fire, storage facilities for lithium-ion batteries are a greater risk, especially for the environment.Preventive, active fire protection with early fire detection and oxygen reduction can reduce risks and thus protect the environment.
The use of active fire prevention technologies such as OxyReduct® also protectsthe environment by minimizing or preventing emissions and contamination from fires.
