GSK is a global biopharma company that prevents and treats disease with vaccines, specialty and general medicines. In Hungary, GSK works with partners to deliver medicines and vaccines to patients. Its Hungarian vaccine manufacturing facility is located in Gödöllő, 30 km northeast of Budapest.
GSK is committed to achieving net zero climate impact in its European operations by 2030. To reach this goal, it is upgrading its processes to increase energy efficiency. At the Gödöllő plant, pump applications were a logical starting point: they not only used lower efficiency IE1 and IE2 motors but were also controlled by older, inefficient drives or even connected direct-on-line (DOL) to the network. A total of 43 pumps operating in water extraction, pre-treatment and high purity water circulation processes were selected for Phase 1 of the upgrade.
IE5 efficiency cuts emissions
“We decided to upgrade our pump motors to IE5 efficiency and install modern drive control,” says a spokesperson for GSK Hungary. “We chose to work with Rakóczki, an ABB Value Provider, because they offered the IE5 motor and drive packages we were looking for, and they can provide us with local service and support. Experts from ABB and Rakóczki visited our site several times, collecting information on the applications and discussing technical aspects with our engineers. They also supplied references from similar projects and prepared detailed energy efficiency calculations.”
“Our scope of supply included 43 IE5 SynRM motors in aluminum and cast-iron frames with power ratings from 5.5 to 55 kW,” says László Csernyik, Sales Engineer of ABB Hungary. “SynRM motors are as straightforward as induction motors but have the performance of permanent magnet motors. They don’t use rare earth metals, have no magnets or windings in the rotor, and rotor losses are virtually zero. Low losses mean they run cooler, so they are more reliable and have longer lifetimes than equivalent induction motors. High reliability and ultra-premium efficiency make them a very sustainable choice.”
IE5 SynRM motors and drives help GSK plant reach net zero 
Pump applications upgraded with IE5 SynRM motors and ACH580 drives 
Expected significant energy saving for a rapid return of the investment
Drive control saves energy
The motors are matched with 43 ACH580 drives supplied with IP21 or IP55 enclosures. For applications where the motor was previously DOL-connected, the new drive was configured to realize closed-loop pressure control. A pressure sensor is connected to the drive’s internal PID regulator, enabling the drive to maintain the correct pressure in the circuit. As a result, the pumping process is operated according to demand. Switching from DOL operation to closed-loop pressure control can produce energy savings of 20% or more.
“Using drives to operate motors according to the needs of the process can produce big energy savings,” László Csernyik explains. “And ABB drives have features and functionality built-in that support the control of almost any pumping application according to pressure, temperature, flow rate, and other parameters. Coupled with ultra-premium efficient IE5 motors, they save energy with every rotation of the pump.”
On-site installation work was undertaken by Rakóczki, and Phase 1 was completed by early 2024. Following the upgrade, ABB Hungary uses data output by the drives to produce efficiency reports for GSK. According to GSK’s calculations, the new motors and drives save so much energy that they will pay for themselves in around two years. Following the success of Phase 1, GSK is already planning Phase 2, which will cover the plant’s remaining pumps and ventilation system.
Rakóczki Kft. has been working with ABB for 25 years and has been an ABB Value Provider (AVP) since 2016. The company supplies a range of ABB motors, drives, soft starters and wall chargers for electric vehicles, as well as maintenance and other support services. Rakóczki has its own warehouse, ensuring fast and reliable deliveries of the products most commonly requested by customers.
GSK is headquartered in Brentford, UK, and reported turnover of more than GBP 30 billion in 2023. Its focus is on the science of the immune system and advanced technologies, with investments in four core therapeutic areas: infectious diseases, HIV, respiratory/immunology, and oncology. GSK aims to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade.
