What do energy efficiency and decarbonization have to do with lifesaving medicine? In this interview, Marvin Hohwieler provides an insight into his fascinating work as Senior Manager of Energy and Projects at Fresenius. He talks about how he is helping to take the corporation down the path to achieving Net Zero without losing focus of the patients.
My official job title is Global EHS Manager. EHS stands for environmental health and safety. I have been on secondment in the USA since 2022. Together with my team, I am responsible for our global factories reaching the global climate targets. We also assist the production sites when it comes to introducing the ISO standards for occupational health and safety, environmental protection and the like. In terms of the company organization, we sit under Advanced Manufacturing Operations (AMO).
I also head up the Global Competence Cluster for Energy and Water Management at Fresenius Kabi. Ideas about saving energy, water and waste are submitted, assessed at the global level and selected. The winning projects are then implemented.
At EHS, we always work together in partnership with five different factories across the globe. My region is the Americas. We come up with ideas, draw up decarbonization roadmaps and implement concrete projects ranging from solar panels to measures to increase energy efficiency. As part of this work, we visit the factories, look for service providers who can support us and generally try to scout new technologies. It’s exciting because we can really make a difference.
On the other hand, the Global Competence Cluster (GCC) is my side project – I’ve been leading it since 2019. Every two years we run a contest for ideas – employees from across the entire corporation are invited to suggest their ideas relating to energy efficiency. The best ideas are then implemented.
I really enjoy the detective work and constantly questioning the status quo. As the factories are so different, there are hardly any standards. When I arrive at a factory, I try to understand how everything functions and where we can find new efficiencies. Often, I just need to ask: “Why is the pressure set to 12 bars when it is set to 8 bars in other places?” These questions then help to make people on site think about their processes. I also love how varied the work is – from planning a solar plant in Melrose Park to optimizing boilers in Grand Island to developing global strategies – no two days are the same. And at the end of the day, I can see the concrete results of our work, which I find very rewarding as this usually goes hand in hand with cost savings. Our work is also appreciated as it tends to provide a quick return on investment.
Our team has a good mix of professionalism and humor. We don’t just get along well on a professional basis, we also enjoy spending time together outside of work. Proactive people who can work independently and who want to make a difference fit well into our team. A background in engineering is helpful but not absolutely necessary. The willingness to ask questions and to think outside the box is more important. We need people who want to change and improve things, even if it can occasionally lead to uncomfortable situations or getting punched in the face, metaphorically speaking!
When I finished school, I had three main interests: politics, history and energy. I wasn’t sure what I could do with politics and history, so I chose to study Energy Management and Process Engineering. During my degree, I focused on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Once I had graduated, I went to work for a specialist consultancy, advising lots of different companies on energy efficiency. I then worked for an association on the “Climate Professionals for SMEs” project. It was extremely educational, but I realized that I wanted to do more than just highlight the issues – I wanted to solve them. I saw there was an opportunity at Fresenius to drive energy efficiency forward in a global organization. I joined in 2018 as Global EHS Manager with a focus on ISO 50001. Since then I have progressed through various roles within the company.
At Fresenius, you can really have an impact and can make a genuine difference to people’s lives. You can see the significance of our work. I also value the freedom and level of trust placed in me. I like to work independently, and my supervisors give me plenty of freedom, but they are always there when I need them – this is really valuable. I am also really enjoying the experience of living abroad here in the USA.
A typical day for me is often full of emails and meetings. I receive constant project enquiries, from suppliers or from management. We need to adapt presentations, work on budgets and push forward with our decarbonization strategy. We work closely with the factories and our team to coordinate the different projects. Non-typical working days include attending conferences or trade fairs to keep abreast of the latest technology and to meet potential new partners. Or we are on location for inspections, presentations or audits. We are currently taking on a large amount of local project management work as many sites have lots of different priorities. So, for example, I am currently planning a large solar plant for a factory in Melrose Park.
On the one hand, I am contributing to protecting the climate and reducing emissions. At the same time, I am working indirectly to improve the efficiency of producing essential medicines. I was recently reminded of this when a friend was admitted to hospital with her newborn daughter and was given some of our medication. Moments like these remind me that we aren’t just working on energy efficiency; we are also saving lives. When it comes to the contest for ideas, I really love seeing how proud colleagues are when their ideas are appreciated by management and put into practice. It is a great opportunity for all employees, whatever their level, to contribute and to gain recognition.
Thank you for the interview Marvin!