Henkel advances decarbonised operations with carbon-neutral site in Kurkumbh

Henkel’s production sites in Kurkumbh and Gebkim have eliminated Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, marking a step forward in Henkel’s goal to decarbonise its operations by 2030. This step is further contributing to Henkel’s science-based climate targets, including reducing operational greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency, electrification, and the phasing out of fossil fuels, while scaling renewable energy across all production sites globally. 

At Kurkumbh in Maharashtra, Henkel achieved carbon-neutral operations by replacing furnace oil-based thermic fluid heaters with high-efficiency electric systems, eliminating fossil fuel use. This transformation required an upgrade of the site’s energy infrastructure, including the optimisation of heat loads, the installation of advanced high-efficiency heat exchangers and investments in electrical capacity to support full electrification. 

Combined with the transition to 100% renewable electricity, these measures enabled the elimination of both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions of approximately 11,300-tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

At its Gebkim Plant in Turkiye, Henkel has implemented an electrification project by replacing a natural gas-fired boiler with a high-efficiency electric boiler system. This eliminated direct fossil fuel use at the site and reduced Scope 1 emissions to zero, resulting in an annual reduction of approximately 956-tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. 

Simon Ulmann, vice president — supply chain and operations, IMEA, Henkel Adhesive Technologies, remarked, “Achieving carbon-neutral production at two of our key Flagship sites in IMEA is a strong step forward in delivering on Henkel Adhesive Technologies’ global sustainability ambitions.” He added, “Our ambition is clear: we are systematically eliminating fossil fuels from all our operations and replacing them with electrified processes powered by renewable energy. Our manufacturing milestone in both Kurkumbh and Gebkim shows how we can translate our strategy into tangible impact at the site level, accelerating our journey toward net-zero operations.” 

In addition, Bappa Bandyopadhyay, director of operations and projects, India, Henkel Adhesive Technologies, asserted, “Achieving carbon neutrality at our Kurkumbh site underscores our strong commitment to sustainable growth, responsible manufacturing, and operational excellence.” He added, “Through renewable energy adoption and continuous efficiency improvements, we have significantly reduced our carbon footprint while upholding the highest standards of safety, quality, and performance. This milestone shows that sustainability and business performance can advance together to create long-term value.”

By scaling electrification and renewable energy adoption, Henkel is accelerating the decarbonization of its global production network.