As part of the company’s ongoing support of The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) blueprint, d&b audiotechnik has established a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programme, which offers customers the chance to purchase remanufactured systems to reduce rising greenhouse gas emission and the consumption of raw materials.
The CPO programme is one part of d&b’s commitment to sustainability. Other initiatives include the signing of the WIN-Charta – an initiative of the State of Baden-Wuertemberg – in which d&b audiotechnik has committed to meeting far-reaching sustainability projects.
“As part of this, we have expanded the electric car charging infrastructure in our company headquarters in Backnang, Germany, to help reduce harmful nitrogen oxides,” d&b audiotechnik CPO Director, Robert Trebus said. “We are also proud to hold the EMAS Certificate of Registration, an EU system for voluntary environmental management and auditing.”
d&b audiotechnik’s first CPO programme offering is the J-Series, an established large-format system which was touring globally before the lockdown of live events in March. At a time when the entire industry is facing its biggest challenge to date, Trebus believes that remanufacturing not only significantly reduces environmental impact but also makes products “economically attractive” given the uncertain landscape.
PRODUCT
The CPO system comes with new energy-saving amplification and electronics and accessories, including new D80 amplifiers, which have a 40% lower energy consumption and heat-build-up than the previous D12, meaning customers receive the benefits of buying new with a reduced carbon footprint. “In terms of manufacturing, this process extends the life of the loudspeaker, saving energy and carbon emissions,” Trebus explained. “This new programme is a small but powerful way of delivering premium audio while helping to reduce the consumption of raw materials,” Trebus acknowledged. “d&b products are designed to last, and this process extends that life even further.”
The CPO process takes place on a special production line in Backnang and Ashville, utilising tools and processes from the original J-Series production line to build a specialised remanufacturing line with processes stipulated by the British Standards Institute (BSI).
“As with every product that is manufactured by d&b, CPO products go through a rigorous quality control process,” Trebus stated. “As part of the d&b remanufacturing process, each CPO system goes through an exterior, mechanical, and acoustic check. The exterior check includes a full-system inspection to confirm there is no damage, then all foam and seals are replaced, and the exterior is repainted with the original d&b topcoat.”
During the mechanical check, pins, rigging, links, wheels, latches, frames, and chains are all inspected for damage, tested, and replaced where necessary. Finally, the product goes through the same rigorous frequency and impedance checks as new systems and is subject to a listening test for performance qualities.
SUSTAINABILITY – DRIVEN BY THE MARKET
“Many of our customers now take sustainability into account when making purchasing decisions and so we are delighted to produce a solution that will satisfy partners and artists alike,” Trebus enthused.
“We have seen over the past few years many artists voicing concern that touring is damaging to the environment. So many of our partners are opting for these remanufactured systems as a way to address this.” Trebus explained that there is a common misconception among organisations and customers that sustainability incurs additional expense. “Our studies find that remanufacturing not only significantly reduces environmental impact, but also makes products economically very attractive,” Trebus commented.
ON THE ROAD TO A GREENER BUSINESS
In 2013, d&b received its first environmental certificate and the company has been committed to achieving long-term sustainability goals by participating in several initiatives promoted by the state, the federal government, and the international principles of the United Nations. “Extending the life of our loudspeaker systems is just one part of d&b’s overall sustainability initiative,” he stated. “At d&b, we’re conscious of the impact that the entertainment industry has on the environment. We know the industry consumes an enormous amount of resources and we still have a long way to go to ensure that touring and festivals are more environmentally friendly.”
Trebus highlighted the importance of the small steps that can have a far-reaching impact. “Everyone has a part to play in ‘greening’ the entertainment industry and you don’t need to compromise on sound to do it. Often, the opinion is widespread that an ecological product cannot have the same quality as a newly developed test. With the CPO J-Series, we show that an ecological product can also meet global touring and concert standards,” he concluded. “Extending the life of our loudspeaker systems is a small but powerful way of providing premium audio while protecting the natural world.”
This article originally appeared in issue #254 of TPi, which you can read here.
Photos: d&b audiotechnik
