Yearly: 2024

As we do every year, we like to take stock of the savings achieved for our customers thanks to HREGreen solutions.

We have recently finished implementing the solution to a customer who has achieved 48% energy savings on his new machine.

And since 2016, which we have been keeping track, the impressive result is that:
We have helped our customers achieve cumulative savings of 7.15 GW/h, that is, more than 3,300 tons of CO₂ not emitted into the atmosphere!

One liter of water at 25 ºC we know is capable of absorbing approximately 1.5 grams of CO₂.
Thinking that the average consumption in the state is about 55,000 liters of water per person per year, the amount of CO₂ saved would be equivalent to the volume corresponding to the annual water consumption of 40,000 people.

That’s quite something, isn’t it? And without realizing it – because we have already internalized these savings – we are once again helping to achieve a healthier ecosystem and a greener planet, supported by the levers of sustainability, eco-innovation and eco-design.

Of course, we must add the more than favorable economic impact that these savings represent for our customers’ finances, and therefore for their bottom line.

At HRE Automation, we have experienced a moment which fills us with emotion: our BeCold project has been awarded at the Advanced Manufacturing Awards 2024 as being the best in sustainability and circular economy. This recognition, awarded at IFEMA Madrid, during the MetalMadrid fair, highlights the impact of our innovation in the industrial transformation towards a more sustainable future.

This achievement would not have been possible without the collaboration between TECNALIA Research & Innovation, the UPV/EHU and HRE Automation, which made this revolutionary patent a reality. Special thanks to José Ángel Alberdi, the “alma mater” of this project, whose vision has made it possible to offer a sustainable alternative to traditional machining.

We would like to thank the jury: Antonio de la Presilla, Antton Meléndez Arranz, Carlos González, Eva García Biosca, Gala Maturana, Juan Miguel Poyatos Díaz, Juan Ramón Marijuán Q., Nerea Ordás, Núria Salán, Pedro Romero and Xoan Xosé Fernández Sánchez-Romate, and all those who have supported us with their votes.

We also thank the sponsors EMKA Beschlagteile and CARBUROS METÁLICOS, and the supporting partners: HispaRob, Izaro Manufacturing Technology, VALMETAL, HEGAN – Basque Aerospace Cluster, EIT Manufacturing, 3d-native.com, COIT AEIT and FEMEVAL.

BeCold, our sustainable machining solution, has crossed borders and is already established in international markets, including Japan!

Through Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) and the use of CO₂, we are revolutionizing the machining of difficult-to-machine materials. This technology is not only more sustainable, but also allows us to optimize resources and achieve significant economic savings.

BeCold is not just an innovative technology; it is a reflection of the effort, dedication and vision of the HRE team, which proves every day that together we can transform the industry and build a more responsible future.

Congratulations to the other winners! It is an honor to share the stage with such inspiring projects.

From HRE, we will continue to work with the same passion and commitment, because we firmly believe that every step we take can make a difference.

Through the collaboration of leading academic institutions and industry leaders, such as the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Tecnalia and the support of Nippon Gases, innovative tests have been carried out under the HAZITEK BERMEK project, which have yielded extraordinary results.

In these tests, the revolutionary BeCold System has been used together with CryoMQL technology for milling stainless steel. The results obtained have been a resounding success, marking a significant breakthrough in the industry.

This effective collaboration between academia and industry is a testament to our commitment to innovation and technological development.

We are proud to be part of this exciting project and to witness the excellent results that have been achieved.

On 21 November 2023, the Royal Academy of Engineering awarded the outstanding Juan López de Peñalver Prize to Amaia Calleja Ochoa, Industrial Mechanical Engineer at the University of the Basque Country and current full professor at the same institution. This prestigious award, intended for people under the age of 40 who have excelled in Spanish engineering, celebrates the work of Amaia and her team at the Aeronautical Advanced Manufacturing Centre.

Amaia Calleja Ochoa headed the group made up of engineers Haizea González and Izaro Ayesta, as well as engineers Adrián Rodríguez and Octavio Pereira. Their contribution focuses on the development of an innovative cryogenic cooling technology with recycled CO2, used as a cutting fluid in machining processes. This breakthrough, known as BeCold, has managed to replace polluting cutting oils, generating improvements in both productivity and the environment.

Amaia Calleja Ochoa expressed her gratitude to HRE for trusting in the product, highlighting the patent and the team’s research dedication over the years. The BeCold technology has been successfully industrialised and marketed in countries such as Japan, Poland and Canada, demonstrating the commitment of Amaia and her team to innovation and sustainability in engineering.