Improvement of energy efficiency at Schmid Polska sp. z o. o

The scope of the project includes:
Biomass boilers production using innovative hybrid plasma GMAW welding technology, including new, innovative design of boilers ensuring reduced NOx emissions.

The project, which is funded by EU funds, consists of three modules:

• research and development
• implementation
• digitization

The research work involves the development of a product innovation in the form of biomass boilers with reduced NOx emissions and a process innovation – hybrid welding of boiler elements using a single welding head (Plasmatron). The research module includes the purchase and manufacture of tangible assets (construction of a production hall and machinery and equipment) to implement the results of the research and development work. The digitization module concerns increasing the efficiency and productivity of welding processes. Project implementation: January 2025 – December 2029.

Product buyers (small municipal heating plants, hotels, office buildings, shopping centers, apartment buildings, industrial companies); Company employees (engineers, welders, and technicians who will use modern technologies, R&D department employees who will develop further product and process innovations, newly hired employees); Residents of regions that will experience positive environmental effects (lower NOx emissions, improved air quality); local authorities that support the energy transition.

The aim of the project is to develop a product innovation in the form of boilers with a heating capacity of 0.7-8 MW and reduced NOx emissions, as well as a business process innovation in the form of hybrid welding of boiler elements with different capacities and their subsequent implementation in Schmid’s business activities through the construction and equipping of a new production facility with production equipment. Another objective is to introduce a system for automatical assessing of the correctness of weldings.

The result of the research and development work will be the development and testing of three prototypes of biomass boilers. The implementation module will be completed with the construction of a production facility (approx. 10,000 m²) and its equipping with production equipment for production of innovative boilers. The implementation of the digitization module will enable an increase in the degree of automation and digitization of production processes in the area of welding processes. The results of the project also include: increasing of the competitiveness of the company on the domestic and foreign markets, increasing of production efficiency and reduction of production costs, creation of new workplace, expansion of the product range, reduction of harmful compound emissions (NOx) through the use of innovative boilers, promotion of the use of renewable energy sources (biomass) instead of fossil fuels, improvement of air quality, and reduction of the carbon footprint.

Project value: total PLN 102,669,754.23; eligible PLN 75,960,990.99.

Amount of contribution from European funds: PLN 36,461,275.67.

#EU funds