In the Chemosvit industrial complex in Svit, sustainability isn’t treated as a trendy slogan but as a long-term strategy backed by numbers. The company connected its own energy production with real-time metering and a digital map of operations to save energy, meet ESG requirements, and remain competitive. Experience shows that the keys are data, discipline, and people.
From Baťa’s Philosophy to In‑House Energy
In Svit, the spirit of Tomáš Baťa has been present since 1934 and underscores pragmatism: every activity must show up in the numbers. Today, Chemosvit is an extensive industrial complex with various technologies and companies, with the core of its turnover coming from films for food packaging. That means a direct transfer of food-industry legislation and certifications to the supplier, which fundamentally changes the rules of the game.
Sustainability is therefore a strategic theme and rests on self-sufficiency in energy. The company operates a modern combined production of electricity, heat, and cooling, supplemented by photovoltaics, battery storage, and thermal disposal with heat recovery. Waste heat in particular is proving to be a major, often overlooked opportunity for further savings.
Data, Measurement, and a Live Digital Map
Data systematically collected over decades and smart meters made it possible to create a live digital map of the company. In real time it displays electricity, gas, machine operation, and other variables for all companies on the site, in clear layers. Chemosvit developed its own IoT meters, integrated ERP, a robust real-time system, and analytics, and can remotely control selected elements via PLC, which makes maintenance easier.
On this basis, consumption forecasts for buildings and technologies are created with high accuracy, compared against standards at 15‑minute intervals throughout the year. Monthly evaluations show where goals are being met and where they need to be tightened – success is not a reason to rest, but to raise the bar. Savings come in three steps: show people the numbers, improve measurement and control, and finally invest selectively in technologies with a clear payback. The key is to make it a permanent working system, not a one‑off “improvement.”
Results and Next Steps
With the same level of production, significant savings in the millions of kWh were achieved, confirming the power of a data‑driven approach. A specific feature is that lower heat consumption also affects the internal revenues of the company’s own heating plant, so a broader model needs to be considered. Another advantage for exporters is the low emission factor of Slovak electricity thanks to nuclear and hydro, which customers appreciate in sustainability comparisons.
Another ambition is to manage consumption according to spot prices with the help of artificial intelligence and interconnected simulation models. The optimization criterion must be clear: maximize profit in euros, minimize energy, waste, or carbon footprint – as in chess you need to know what constitutes a “win.” A major untapped potential remains the systematic use of waste heat and cooling, about which Chemosvit organizes seminars for Slovak food companies. The recommendation for everyone is simple: start measuring, collect data, give people understandable goals – and small steps by the whole team will bring great results.
