BMW Group Landshut fully optimized for sustainability
- Solar aluminium covers more than one third of the light metal foundry's annual requirements
- lmost two thirds of the aluminium used comes from the recycling loop
- Light metal foundry of the BMW Group Landshut plant recertified by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI)
- Solar aluminium covers more than one third of the light metal foundry's annual requirements
- Almost two-thirds of the aluminium used comes from the recycling loop
The BMW Group's light metal foundry in Landshut has again been independently certified for its sustainable use of aluminium. It meets the standards of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative ASI, an international non-profit organisation supported by environmental and industrial associations, aluminium producers and processors. The ASI defines sustainability criteria for an environmentally and socially responsible aluminium value chain.
"Sustainable raw material extraction and the conscious use of resources play a central role for our own component production and our global supplier network," says Dr Joachim Post, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network. "Sourcing solar-generated aluminium for our own component production significantly reduces our CO2 emissions. The circular economy is also a key to reducing emissions and conserving natural resources. The goal is to build 50 per cent of our new vehicles from secondary raw materials in the future."
Solar aluminium covers more than a third of annual demand
The Landshut light metal foundry, the BMW Group's only production facility for light metal castings in Europe, is one of the most modern and sustainable foundries in the world. Thanks to the use of inorganic sand cores, the casting process is virtually emission-free. Since 2021, the light metal foundry has been sourcing aluminium produced with the help of solar energy. Since the production of aluminium is very energy-intensive, the use of green energy such as solar power offers considerable potential for reducing CO2 emissions. The tens of thousands of tonnes of solar aluminium supplied in this way cover more than a third of the annual requirements of the light metal foundry at the Landshut plant.
CO2-optimised recycling circuit with closed foundry cycle
Next to steel, aluminium accounts for the largest share by weight of the materials used in BMW Group vehicles. Around two thirds of the aluminium used in Landshut comes from a recycling circuit - almost two thirds of which comes from the foundry's own closed circuit. In this way, the BMW Group deliberately reduces the use of CO2-intensive primary aluminium in favour of a CO2-optimised recycling cycle. Green electricity is also used in production.
The responsible use of aluminium has a long tradition at the BMW Group. For more than ten years, the light metal foundry has been working together with local processors to implement a recycling circuit for the scrap metals originating from the foundry process. The decisive factor here is the clean separation of the aluminium residues. The residues are collected by type from all casting and mechanical processing stations so that materials with different compositions are not mixed. This means that aluminium waste can be reused for the production of the same components after processing.
"The BMW Group has supported the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative from the very beginning," says Dr Stefan Kasperowski, head of the BMW Group plant in Landshut and the light metal foundry, which is the largest production area at the Lower Bavarian plant. "We are aware of our responsibility and attach great importance to the sustainable production of raw materials for our manufacturing."
Last year, the employees of the light metal foundry produced around 3.3 million castings with a total weight of more than 73,000 tonnes. The scope of production includes engine components such as cylinder heads and crankcases, components for the electric drive train and large-scale structural components for the car body.
The BMW Group's responsibility extends beyond recycling to the aluminium used. The conditions under which the raw material bauxite is extracted in opencast mines and processed in countries such as Australia, Brazil and Guinea are also important to the company.
The BMW Group is in direct contact with aluminium suppliers and recycling partners in order to gradually extend ASI certification to the entire material cycle - starting with the producing mines.
The light metal foundry has now been certified to the ASI Performance Standard for the second time. The audit criteria require evidence of material stewardship, such as a holistic life cycle analysis for its own products and a comprehensive recycling strategy, as well as compliance with standards for transparency, overall management and corporate integrity. The first successful certification according to the material responsibility criterion took place in December 2019.
