Environmental Responsibility Volkswagen Group Components Opens its Own Chip Melting Furnace at the Kassel Foundry
Editor: Nicole Kareta
A new chip melting furnace was commissioned at Volkswagen Group Components. The light metal foundry project in Kassel, Germany, is intended to benefit the environment by closing an important recycling loop on site while saving energy and CO2.
All aluminum chips produced at the Kassel plant will in future be returned to the casting process. According to current forecasts, energy requirements will be reduced by about 3,250 MWh/a and CO2 emissions by more than 1,400 t/a. This is achieved by means of an innovative melting process on the company's own premises. At the same time, truck traffic will be relieved, as transport by a recycling company will be eliminated.
Mirco Wöllenstein, foundry manager in Kassel, says: "For the Kassel foundry it is a courageous and at the same time pioneering decision to melt down chips on such a large scale itself. The process for this is innovative and complex, as no corrosion must be allowed to form on the chips. We work together across plants and business units to achieve maximum CO2 savings for our environment and our company".
The Kassel foundry is thus making a contribution to Volkswagen Group Components and the Volkswagen Group on the way to the "goTOzero" mission statement - an environmentally friendly and CO2-free business model that Volkswagen has set itself the goal of achieving throughout the Group by 2050.
Every day, Kassel alone produces around 20 tonnes of aluminum chips which are melted down in the plant. In the medium term, the foundry plans to melt down a further 40 tonnes of material from other European Volkswagen plants. In the long term, the volume is expected to increase to up to 80 tonnes of chips. "By eliminating an additional external remelting process, we will remain more ecological and economical than before, despite the transport routes to Kassel that will then be required", said Wöllenstein.
Unfold for details of your consent
Declaration of consent
Naturally, we always handle your personal data responsibly. Any personal data we receive from you is processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. For detailed information please see our privacy policy.
Consent to the use of data for promotional purposes
I consent to NürnbergMesse GmbH, Exhibition Centre, 90471 Nuremberg, including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG (hereafter: NürnbergMesse) and Vogel Communication Group GmbH & Co. KG, Max-Planckstr. 7-9, 97082 Würzburg, including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG (hereafter: Vogel Communications Group) using my e-mail address to send editorial newsletters. I have accessed lists of the respective companies here for Vogel Communications Group
Newsletter content may include all products and services of any companies mentioned above, including for example specialist journals and books, events and fairs as well as event-related products and services, print and digital media offers and services such as additional (editorial) newsletters, raffles, lead campaigns, market research both online and offline, specialist webportals and e-learning offers. In case my personal telephone number has also been collected, it may be used for offers of aforementioned products, for services of the companies mentioned above, and market research purposes.
In case I access protected data on Internet portals of NürnbergMesse including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG or Vogel Communications Group including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG, I need to provide further data in order to register for the access of such content. In return for this free access to editorial content, my data may be used in accordance with this consent for the purposes stated here.
Right of revocation
I understand that I can revoke my consent at will. My revocation does not change the lawfulness of data processing that was conducted based on my consent leading up to my revocation. To declare my revocation I must use this contact form. In case I no longer wish to receive certain newsletters I have subscribed to, I can also click on the unsubscribe link included at the end of a newsletter. Further information regarding my right of revocation and the implementation of it as well as the consequences of my revocation can be found in the privacy policy, section editorial newsletter.