06/15/2026

Phoenix Contact shows how professional temperature control is implemented.

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A global leader in the field of electrical connection technology, automation and industrial communication 

Phoenix Contact is a globally active family-owned company based in Blomberg, Germany, and is one of the world’s leading companies in the fields of electrical connection technology, automation and industrial communication. As a pioneer in electrical connection technology and automation, the Blomberg-based company has set industry standards and is actively shaping the future of industrial digitalisation. Today, the portfolio ranges from solutions for Industry 4.0 to charging connectors for e-mobility. 
The company was founded in 1923 and today employs around 21,000 people worldwide, including around 11,000 in Germany. In 2024, the group generated a turnover of 3 billion euros and operates production sites in Germany, China, India, Poland, Sweden, Greece, Turkey and the USA, amongst others. 
Phoenix Contact combines tradition with progress: the family-owned company’s headquarters in Blomberg stands for consistency, entrepreneurial independence and sustainable business practices. The site brings together key business areas such as development, procurement and production. Sustainability is firmly embedded in the strategy – with clear targets for CO₂ reduction and climate neutrality.

Long-standing partnership

Phoenix Contact uses a large number of temperature control units in its plastic injection moulding division at its headquarters in Blomberg, including around 400 from HB-Therm. Thanks to the long-standing partnership, around three-quarters of these are Thermo-5 units, including some 80 speed-controlled models introduced by HB-Therm over the years. A clear sign that Phoenix Contact committed to more energy-efficient operation at an early stage. The remaining units are from the current Series 6, which are already speed-controlled as standard. According to Daniel Wittsieker, a process optimiser in plastics production at Phoenix Contact in Blomberg, the transition to the new generation went smoothly: “The units could be seamlessly integrated into the existing production processes.”

The benefits of HB-Therm units are highly valued 

Daniel Wittsieker continues: “HB-Therm’s units offer significant advantages: they enable remote control via injection moulding machines, operate in an energy-efficient manner, provide comprehensive visualization options, and, through the use of Flow-5 flow meters, allow for a reduction in the number of required units. Their ease of use, the outstanding energy efficiency of the frequency-controlled pumps, the compact design that allows for space-saving positioning directly on or under the injection moulding machine, and the lifetime warranty on the core components – the heater and flow meter – are further advantages.” The various Eco Mode functions and the precise temperature and flow rate measurement are particularly appreciated.

The project: Energy optimisation as part of the sustainability strategy

The specific triggers for the project were the requirements of the sustainability strategy and rising energy costs. In production, mould temperature control in particular was identified as an area with high energy consumption that was not strictly necessary from a technological standpoint. Consequently, both the temperature control units themselves and their surroundings were optimised: old units with fixed pump speeds were replaced, hose lengths were reduced and insulated, and the number of temperature control units was reduced through the use of the flow meter Flow-5.  
Key performance indicators included energy consumption and the quality of the manufactured components. Through the ECO Auto mode, the units actively support energy-efficient operation without requiring any additional effort from operating staff. In one example process, electrical power consumption was reduced from 4.3 kW to 0.57 kW. This success was underpinned by, amongst other things, accompanying production-related studies, energy consumption measurements and the evaluation of temperature control concepts. The project was received very positively across the board within Phoenix Contact’s production, engineering and management departments. The highly interesting findings were then incorporated into the definition of a new standard temperature control concept at Phoenix Contact.

Thermo-6 paid for itself in under 2 years 

Thermo-6 units were used in combination with Flow-5 manifolds for the installation. This combination significantly reduces energy losses through pump speed control and targeted distribution across the temperature control circuits. The Flow-5 distributors are connected to the Thermo-6 units not only physically but also digitally, thereby replacing unmonitored pipe distributors. Monitoring of the individual circuits takes place automatically and responds to changes outside the tolerance ranges depending on the preset monitoring level. Speed-controlled pumps allow for a significantly reduced variety of equipment thanks to their flexibility. In summary, Stefan Oberg, workshop manager for plastics production at Phoenix Contact in Blomberg, notes: «A return on investment (ROI) of less than two years clearly demonstrates that investing in HB-Therm’s modern equipment is worthwhile and that replacing older systems makes good business sense.»

Optimisation measures extend down to the finest detail 

The potential for energy savings is enormous – the temperature control unit forms only the foundation of a comprehensive optimisation approach. In addition to the unit performance, other factors play a central role: for example, connections with couplings, hose lengths and their insulation, but also the mould itself and the type of temperature control – whether in series or in parallel – offer significant untapped potential. The specific example at Phoenix Contact impressively demonstrates how this holistic approach can be implemented in practice: from the appropriate equipment design through optimised connections to the piping – with remarkable results. (Table)

In summary, the optimisation can be presented in four steps and substantiated with data:

1. The basis: the use of sustainable temperature control units

In the first step, the original temperature control units from a competitor, which used standard pumps, were replaced with 6th-generation temperature control units from HB-Therm. These come as standard with speed-controlled pumps and automated pump operating modes, such as Eco mode. 

Furthermore, the switch to HB-Therm involved a change to a different temperature control technology, including a tankless system – which in concrete terms means a significantly lower circulating volume and thus an additional reduction in energy consumption. 

As these are applications up to 100 °C, the exclusive Direct-Drive pumps are used. Thanks to their special design, they avoid eddy current losses and thus enable an additional energy saving of a further 20% compared to the already energy efficient pumps.

These impressive results are also borne out by the specific figures in the table, rows 1–3. 

2. Shortening hose lengths – reducing pressure drop

Thanks to the compact design of the HB-Therm temperature control units, the installation could be adapted so that the units could be positioned directly beneath the injection moulding machine. This not only saves on the cost of long hose lines but also reduces the load (resistance) on the Pump – which has a positive effect on power consumption. Particularly noteworthy in this case is the exceptionally long total hose length of the system, exceeding 100 metres. The reason for this is the use of manifolds, in which the individual channels are each routed separately to the machine. By placing the temperature control units (including the Flow Meter Flow-5) beneath the injection moulding machine, a significant amount of hose length was saved here!

Here too, the table shows impressive results in rows 4–5.

3. Insulation – less heat loss

In a further step, the shortened flexible tubes were additionally insulated to reduce heat loss to the environment. As the medium temperature rises, heat loss through flexible tubes increases exponentially. This means that the higher the temperature, the more important effective insulation becomes. 

In this example, the main line temperature is ‘only’ 70 °C, so the additional insulation of the short hoses did not result in any significant energy savings. 

An advantage of HB-Therm units: thanks to a well-designed thermal concept, the heat remains largely inside the unit. This is evident both in the small number of ventilation slots on the temperature control units and in the regulation ratio being close to zero. The low circulating volume also reduces the energy required for heating or cooling. The unrivalled indirect heating principle additionally ensures particularly energy-efficient, controlled and material-friendly temperature control.

And here are some more interesting figures in the table, row 6.

4. Combination – one temperature control unit is all you need! 

As a final measure, it was checked whether two temperature control units were actually required for certain processes. Originally, one unit was connected to the nozzle side and another to the ejector side. The system is now operated using just one temperature control unit. The Flow Meter Flow-5 ensures that the parallel mould channels are fed and temperature-controlled evenly, thereby guaranteeing long-term process stability and product quality.

Conclusion: The process continues to run stably without any loss of component quality. Although the pump speed increases to adjust the flow rate and maintain the specified Delta T between the main/return lines of the temperature control unit, this remains the more cost-effective alternative to the parallel operation of two temperature control units. 

The regulation ratio close to zero also underscores the success of the optimisation: the unit operates in thermal equilibrium, indicating minimal control activity. As hardly any heating energy or cooling water is required, energy consumption is further reduced.

In summary, the table, row 7, shows clear potential for improvement compared to the initial situation.

Annual savings of around €4,000

When the optimisation measures are considered from an economic perspective, a three-shift operation with around 6,000 operating hours/year results in a significant saving. Based on an original power consumption of 4.34 kW, which was reduced to 0.57 kW by the measure, this results in a difference of 3.77 kW. At a current energy price of approx. €0.17/kWh, the savings amount to around €3,845 per year per system.
In companies with several systems or applications of the same design – as is often the case, particularly in larger operations – this measure generates significant economies of scale. The optimisation thus unlocks considerable economic potential not only at the level of individual systems but also across the entire system.

Extended life 

An important secondary aspect of the optimisation, which was not taken into account in this case, is that the units are not operated at full load. This not only reduces energy consumption but also the wear and tear on various components, leading to a longer service life and longer maintenance intervals. Overall, this increases the availability and productivity of the units. 
The intelligent maintenance indicator on the Thermo-6 units makes an additional contribution to this. Depending on operation conditions, it detects wear and maintenance requirements, enabling operators to identify these at an early stage and respond accordingly. This allows maintenance work to be planned forward-thinkingly, thereby avoiding unexpected downtime.

Conclusion

It is worth regularly taking a critical look at existing processes. Even in temperature control technology, there is often untapped potential that can have a positive impact on efficiency, process reliability and cost-effectiveness.
For us as a manufacturer of temperature control units, modern temperature control technology means translating fundamental physical principles into technically mature, process-reliable and energy-efficient solutions – and that is exactly what we have achieved with the Thermo-6. The units are designed for energy efficiency in terms of both hardware and software. The hardware forms the foundation for efficient operation, while the software provides an easy and intuitive interface for operators through automated functions.

Outlook and further development

Phoenix Contact plans to apply the insights gained from the energy efficiency project to other production lines and sites. The project has not only delivered measurable energy savings, but has also driven forward digitalisation and raised awareness of sustainability within the company. Without compromising product quality, significant efficiency gains have been achieved through modern technology and targeted process optimisation.
The initiative underscores Phoenix Contact’s pioneering role in the field of sustainable, efficient production and, at the same time, provides valuable inspiration for other industrial companies pursuing similar goals. Phoenix Contact will continue to work towards making industrial production even smarter, more connected and more sustainable – with a clear focus on long-term solutions and the highest quality standards.