GREEN TECH SUMMIT

On 28 October 2022, managing directors of environmental technology companies and companies from the field of renewable energy technologies met at the 5th BMK Green Tech Summit in Vienna. The aim of the meeting was to create a high-level networking platform for environmental technology companies among themselves and with representatives of the BMK and to jointly develop concrete measures to promote Austrian environmental technologies.

WASTE ROBOT “SCARAB” BY BRANTNER

Press conference on the occasion of the official presentation of the waste robot “Scarab” by Brantner on 24.10.2022 in the “Blue Lagoon” in Vösendorf near Vienna.

This waste robot automatically replaces full manure bins for empty ones. Sensors are installed in the manure buckets that measure the fill level and request the waste robot with a corresponding signal when the maximum filling level is reached.

Statement by Minister Leonore Gewessler on the
2. BRANTNER INNOVATION CHALLENGE 2022

video statement organized by Reinhard Backhausen

On October 22, 2022, the “b-in challenge” (Brantner Innovation Challenge) took place for the second time in Krems. Digital natives who are currently graduating from university and who care about the environment were able to submit their ideas and projects on the topics of “Smart City” and “Artificial Intelligence”.

Impressions October 22, 2022

CSR-DAY by respACT:
CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

 

October 13, 2022
A1 Telekom Austria Group, Lassallestrasse 9, 1020 Vienna
www.csrtag.at

Moderation Textil-Session: Reinhard Backhausen

 

Textiles
Textiles are the world’s No. 4 source of waste. New concepts are needed in the sense of the circular economy. There are numerous challenges that the textile industry has to overcome. A real “eco-design” is the beginning. We highlight the most important aspects and discuss possible solutions using practical examples.

​

Speakers:
Andreas Bartl
Senior Scientist/Privatdozent, Vienna University of Technology
Institute of Chemical, Environmental & Bioscience Engineering

Christiane Luible-Baer
Professor and Co-Director of the Fashion & Technology program at the University of Art and Design Linz

​Sonja Zak
Head of Circularity Initiative of Lenzing Group

​Günter Grabher
Grabher Group

​Wolfgang Hermann
EREMA Group

​

​Moderation:
Reinhard Backhausen
Senior Consultant Business Development
Reinhard Backhausen textile & circular consulting

​Sponsors of this session: Reinhard Backhausen textile & circular consulting

CLOSE THE CIRCLE II:
CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND ENERGY TRANSITION

 

Reinhard Backhausen at the conference
“Close the Circle II: Circular Economy and Energy Transition” in conversation
with Alexander Ghezzo on the topic of “Implementing the Circular Economy”

CLOSE THE CIRCLE II:
CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND ENERGY TRANSITION

 

Expert Conference for Circular Economy
27. September 2022, Palais Eschenbach, 1010 Vienna
Ghezzo in cooperation with Austrian Trade Association (ÖGV)
https://ghezzo.at/4753-close-the-circle

Presentation Reinhard Backhausen about “Cradle to Cradle” – open documents here
Reinhard Backhausen moderated the panel discussion on
“Cross-company solutions in the circular economy”

For Ghezzo, the topic of sustainability is certainly one of the most present of all. Ghezzo has been working for almost 2 decades to embed it in the minds of business leaders, offering platforms for knowledge transfer and creating space for exchange and a network of like-minded people. It’s almost bitter-sweet that – no sooner has the legal framework changed – now interest in circular economy conferences is through the roof. On September 27, the CLOSE THE CIRCLE conference was held in cooperation with ÖGV. Around 100 decision-makers, thought leaders – simply people who care about professional success AND the future of the planet – met at Palais Eschenbach.

wohninsider.at

Article in issue 4/2022
August/September 2022

FABRICS & FURNISHINGS

Article in U.S. trade journal
May 24, 2022

Page 8 + Page 24 | Clicking on the image will take you directly to the article.

25 years celebration respACT

12 May 2022

On May 12, respACT celebrated its anniversary with numerous companions. You can watch the best impressions of this festivity in this video.

(Reinhard Backhausen, member of respACT, on 0:54 Min.)

Circular Economy Forum Austria: C2C

Online seminar on the topic “cradle to cradle”
April 5, 2022

Schools of thought of the circular economy – Cradle2Cradle from Austria
Event by Circular Economy Forum Austria
April 5, 2022, 12:30 to 13:30
Online seminar

Cradle-to-Cradle is one of the highest quality and most comprehensive certifications for industry and commerce along the entire value chain. Originally founded by chemist Prof. Michael Braungart and US architect William McDonough, C2C has become one of the leading certifications in the last 10 years. We will show some impressive examples of how companies have successfully implemented C2C to close their loops.

In this online seminar on April 5, 2022, learn about possible applications of Cradle to Cradle as a school of thought, strategy and implementation method for companies on their way to the circular economy and experience first-hand how WOLFORD from Bregenz in Vorarlberg, a global company in the laundry sector, has consistently integrated Cradle to Cradle into all areas of the company.

 

Presenters:

Reinhard Backhausen, EPEA-Switzerland and Reinhard Backhausen textile & circular consulting, one of the pioneers for the circular economy in Austria, started to introduce C2C in his company already in 2008. He was also president of the Austrian textile-apparel-shoe-and-leather industry and also developed the understanding of the circular economy among member companies. Since 2013, he has been advising international companies on the implementation of the circular economy and related business development through his consulting firm. At the beginning of the event, he will speak in general about the development of Cradle to Cradle, present practical examples and also show future perspectives.

Andreas Röhrich, Global Director R&D and Sustainability WOLFORD AG, has been with WOLFORD for 24 years. He has worked intensively with EPEA-Switzerland on the implementation of C2C at Wolford and will therefore give a first-hand account of the practical implementation and the challenges involved.

Moderation:
Karin Huber-Heim, Circular Economy Forum Austria

Cradle to Cradle^® Design Innovations
Rethinking the way we make things

Circular Economy Summit Austria

22 March 2022

On March 22, 2022, the “Circular Economy Summit Austria” took place in Vienna at the Aula der Wissenschaften. Organized and initiated by the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology under Minister Leonore Gewessler.

Opening speech Minister Gewessler
Panel “TEXTIL” with presentation and moderation Reinhard Backhausen

1. Speech by Mrs. Leonore Gewessler, Federal Minister: until 14:52:00
2. Presentation Reinhard Backhausen: from 14:55:00
3. Discussion Textile Panel (Moderation: Reinhard Backhausen): from 15:37:00

CIRCULAR INSIDER AUSTRIA MAGAZIN

Article by Reinhard Backhausen about “cradle to cradle”.
in the magazine Circular Insider Austria, No.1 / March 2022

Millennium Innovation Days #2021

27 September – 01 October 2021

From September 27 to October 01, 2021, the Millennium Innovation Days took place for the first time in Lustenau. The multi-day event was all about forward-looking technologies and innovations in the interplay of smart textiles, electronics and digitalization.

Reinhard Backhausen moderated the Green Deal Day.

Opening of “BRANTNER- Erdenreich”,
the largest composting plant in Austria

GFC-Global Fibre Congress 2021
PLATFORM FOR INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCE

15 – 17 September 2021
(ONLINE due to Covid-19)

The organizer of the annual Dornbirn-GFC (Global Fiber Congress) is the Austrian Fiber Institute based in Vienna. Visitors had the opportunity to choose between 96 lectures. Two virtual lecture halls formed the platform for the presentation of the lectures from industry and research.

Reinhard Backhausen in the section “Q&A and discussion” on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021, minutes 10:30:38 – 10:59:33

Leadersnet.at/ÖAG

“We shouldn’t necessarily be thinking about
when and how we can live on Mars.”

(Quote Reinhard Backhausen)

At the Austrian-American Society’s “Super Tuesday,” representatives from Coca-Cola, Nespresso, Greiner, Reclay and Reinhard Backhausen, among others, discussed how the circular economy is changing our lives.

Marc Joainig, Christian Abl, Rainer Newald, Marianne Neumüller-Klapper, Christa Kummer, Reinhard Backhausen und Stefan Grafenhorst
© LEADERSNET/D.Mikkelsen

On September 14, the Austrian-American Society (ÖAG) once again hosted a “Super Tuesday”. The topic of the evening was “Circular Economy – How the circular economy is changing our lives”. On the panel, moderated by Christa Kummer, were Reclay Group Austria CEO Christian Abl, Textile Consultant Reinhard Backhausen, Greiner Global Head of Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Stefan Grafenhorst, Coca-Cola Hellenic Public Affairs & Communications Director Marc Joainig and Nespresso Austria Operations & Sustainability Director Marianne Neumüller-Klapper.

Panel discussion ÖAG / Circular Economy

How the circular economy is changing our lives

On Sept. 14, 2021, a panel discussion was held at the Austrian-American Society, which was also broadcast live on the Internet.

The concept of the circular economy is regarded as the economic model of the future. It supports companies and enterprises in preserving values, conserving resources and increasing profits at the same time. ÖAG invited experts from Coca-Cola, Greiner AG, Nespresso, Reclay and Reinhard Backhausen textile & circular consulting to the panel.

The panel discussion was made up by:

• Christian Abl, CEO Reclay Group Austria
• Reinhard Backhausen, Reinhard Backhausen textile & circular consulting
• Stefan Grafenhorst, Global Head of Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Greiner AG
• Marc Joainig, Public Affairs & Communications Director Coca-Cola Hellenic
• Marianne Neumüller-Klapper, MSc., MBA, Operations & Sustainability Director Nespresso Austria
• Moderation: Christa Kummer

 

Statements Reinhard Backhausen at the following minutes:

07:05 – 07:40 (Introduction by Christa Kummer)
10:40 – 13:34
40:40 – 44:35
53:10 – 55:00

Sustainability and circular economy
in the value chain of the fiber and textile industry
REINHARD BACKHAUSEN IN INTERVIEW

CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN THE FIBRE AND TEXTILE INDUSTRY

Reinhard Backhausen is a thought leader in the circular economy and advises renowned companies worldwide, and specialises in the textile industry. Syngroup Managing Director Walter Woitsch opens the conversation with him, with a simple case: A men’s cotton shirt weighs about 20 dag and we assume it costs 80 euros today. Currently, the price for 1 kg of cotton on the world market is about 80 cents. On the other hand, the price per kilo for the shirts in our example is 400 euros.

With such impressive value add, where do the greatest levers for the more careful use of resources lie? In logistics? Work in progress, as cotton and other primary materials for various processing steps have travelled around the world at least once. What role does technology play and does the processing industry have any real influence? What is the role of politics, trade and consumers? What are currently the big issues that can accelerate or slow down the path towards a circular economy?

Podcast Advent Calendar
of the Austrian Trade Association (ÖGV)
“24 days, 24 people, 24 stories”
December 2020

In conversation:

Reinhard Backhausen
Consultant & Management Consultant for Circular Economy and Textile Industry

“Reinhard Backhausen is a passionated entrepreneur with great enthusiasm, optimism and high innovative strength. He comes from a family of industrialists and managed the traditional BACKHAUSEN company for 30 years, a weaving mill for high-quality upholstery and curtain fabrics founded in 1849. This company employed over 200 people and exported to 40 countries around the world. Reinhard Backhausen was also president of the Austrian Textile, Clothing, Shoe and Leather Industry Association for many years and was also on the board of the European Textile and Clothing Industry Association EURATEX in Brussels. Since 2008, he has been intensively involved in the topic of CIRCULAR ECONOMY and was also a pioneer in this field with the company Backhausen with the philosophy “cradle-to-cradle”! Since 2013, he has been advising top management with his consulting company for the international textile industry and other industries, specializing in business development, marketing, strategy and the implementation of the circular economy. Reinhard Backhausen is a passionate family man, has been happily married to a Finnish woman for 35 years and has 2 grown-up children. He loves outdoor sports and has also enjoyed playing the piano since childhood.”

Statement by Minister Leonore Gewessler on the
1. BRANTNER INNOVATION CHALLENGE 2020

video statement organized by Reinhard Backhausen

The first b-in challenge took place on October 24, 2020. The top 5 candidates presented their innovative ideas on sustainability to the eight experienced jury members in the brantner hall.

Impressions October 24, 2020

Statement by Minister Leonore Gewessler

GLOBAL FIBRE CONGRESS 2020
(ONLINE due to Covid-19)

video statement organized by Reinhard Backhausen

The Dornbirn GFC is an innovation platform for the global fiber, textile, nonwovens, finishing and mechanical engineering industries and is intended to act as a generator of ideas and networks. This is evident not only from the increasing numbers of participants, but rather also from their international origins.

Broadcast by OKTO-TV
recorded at the Austrian Trade Association
June 2020

A conversation about climate change, the SDGs and the EU Green Deal – and what this means for companies. Moderation: Ursula Oberhollenzer, Managing Director blue cube & Vice President at ÖGV, Head of Sustainability Department, Guests: Helga Kromp-Kolb, meteorologist and climate researcher Reinhard Backhausen, expert for circular economy.

Statement by Sebastian Kurz

GLOBAL FIBRE CONGRESS 2018

video statement organized by Reinhard Backhausen

The Dornbirn GFC is an innovation platform for the global fiber, textile, nonwovens, finishing and mechanical engineering industries and is intended to act as a generator of ideas and networks. This is evident not only from the increasing numbers of participants, but rather also from their international origins.