Some of the companies taking part in the Track were Baumer hhs GmbH from Krefeld, dormakaba Deutschland GmbH from Ennepetal, Iserlohner Lobbe Industrieservice GmbH & Co KG and CaPlast Kunststoffverarbeitungs GmbH from Nordkirchen. They examined their existing linear business models and mapped out the potential for circular solutions during five mornings. The participants then presented their developed business model ideas and measures for the implementation of circular approaches in a pitch during the last workshop in Iserlohn.
“CIRCO is characterized by a combination of information provided by trainers, independent work using online materials and design tools, and group exchange”
– Dr. Nicole Freiberger, CIRCO project coordinator at the NRW Efficiency Agency.
“Many companies that have used CIRCO so far have received budget and human resources after the workshop for the further development of the concepts in the company,” says Linda Dierke, resource efficiency consultant at the Efficiency Agency NRW, who also supervised the track. “The EFA also supports the further implementation of the measures with its advisory services.”
The CIRCO track in South Westphalia was the fifth track of the efficiency agency NRW. About 50 companies have now developed circular ideas and business models using the EFA and the CIRCO method.
The Efficiency Agency NRW is the first CIRCO hub in Germany. The CIRCO method was developed in 2015 at the request of the Ministry of the Environment, based on the scientific results of the TU Delft research ‘Products that last’. The established method has already been successfully applied by more than 1000 companies and 500 designers in the Netherlands.
Companies in North Rhine-Westphalia can take part in the CIRCO Track free of charge. The last CIRCO track of the year, which is already fully booked, starts on November 3 in the Bergischen Land. Companies interested can register for upcoming Tracks that take place next year, by contacting nfr@efanrw.de.
Read the original publication of the press release (in German) on the website of Resource Effizienz: press release