Sustainable thinking for generations to come
CO₂-neutral production
Durable products and resource-efficient manufacturing powered by our own hydropower.
Our manufactory is powered by green electricity from the hydropower plants on the river Ybbs, which have been generating power since 1926, ensuring CO₂-neutral production. The waste heat from the furnace is used energy-efficiently to dry the products and heat the production hall.
At RIESS, water is the key factor in generating electrical energy. This allows enamel cookware, industrial components and enamel signs to be produced CO₂-neutrally. At our Ybbsitz site, our ancestors built three hydropower plants along the Great Ybbs river and Little Ybbs rivers between 1926 and 1935. The old coal furnaces, which produced soot and exhaust fumes and polluted the environment, were replaced by emission-free electric enamelling furnaces — freeing production from dependence on fossil fuels at a stroke.
To ensure a reliable power supply from our own hydropower for years to come, another power plant with an output of 1,193 kW was built on the existing dam of the Great Ybbs in 2016, using environmentally friendly methods.
Regional supply chains
When selecting raw material suppliers, we prioritise not only quality and sustainable production but also short transport routes and environmentally friendly means of transport such as rail and ship.
The railway delivers high-quality steel sheets from Voest Alpine AG in Linz to Gresten, near Ybbsitz. There, the raw material is temporarily stored, cut to the required width as needed, and rolled into coils.
This process optimises material use and reduces waste during processing. A regional freight company then delivers these coils the remaining 15 km to Ybbsitz.
There, they are cut or stamped into metal sheet discs for pots and lids and then cold deep-drawn into the desired form using deep-drawing presses.
The edges are then formed and the handles welded on. Thanks to the optimised use of sheet metal, only minimal offcuts are produced. These are returned to the raw material cycle. Since the forming process is carried out cold (without heat), energy consumption is reduced and environmental impact minimised.
Reduction of packaging + easy recycling of the finished product
A large proportion of our products are deliberately delivered without an additional box. Most items — except for larger products such as pot sets and large baking or roasting tins — are wrapped only in tissue paper for dust protection. In 2011, the company received the Embalissimo packaging award for the innovative and sustainable packaging design of the Aromapots.
Sustainability reporting since 2008
We think long-term and aim to ensure that our production does not harm nature. For us, sustainability is not a trend to follow. Since 1926, we have been producing with our own hydropower. Since 2008, we have regularly reported on our efforts to manufacture in a resource-efficient way and to produce durable enamel products for healthy cooking, baking, and storing.
In addition to CO₂-neutral production powered by our own hydropower, we also strive to conserve resources and optimise their use in all other areas.
Sustainability report 2022
We are currently working intensively on our new sustainability report. In the meantime, we invite you to take a look at our most recent report.
Weiters unterziehen wir uns seit 2013 regelmäßig dem strengen, dreistufigem Zertifizierungsverfahren der internationalen, unabhängigen und selbstständigen Organisation Green Brands. Das Siegel ist eine geschützte EU- Gewährleistungsmarke für ökologisch, nachhaltige Marken.
Green Brands quality seal 2024/2025
RIESS has already received its sixth re-certification from Green Brands, a registered EU certification mark for ecological sustainability.