ZF has been awarded the prestigious German Sustainability Award by the German Sustainability Award Foundation, recognizing its significant contributions to advancing a sustainable circular economy. The company’s remanufacturing site in Bielefeld, specializing in refurbishing powertrain modules for vehicle manufacturers and the global aftermarket, played a pivotal role in securing this accolade.
This year, ZF was honored in the “Transformation Field of Resources” category, following its win in the “Automotive Industry” category last year. The award highlights ZF’s commitment to resource conservation, innovation, and scalable solutions critical to achieving sustainable development goals.
Dr Michael Karrer, who oversees sustainability, environmental management, and occupational safety at ZF, stated, “We are making a vital contribution to resource conservation by continually increasing the use of recycled materials in our products. Extending product lifecycles through remanufacturing is another key strategy for reducing the consumption of primary materials.”
Globally, ZF operates 25 remanufacturing plants where used parts are disassembled, cleaned, tested, refurbished, and reassembled. At the Bielefeld site, operational since 1963, approximately 50 tons of old components are processed daily, equivalent to the weight of the Eiffel Tower annually. This effort results in the reconditioning of around 180,000 clutch pressure plates and disks, 10,000 torque converters, and 55,000 clutch release systems each year.
The company has significantly reduced waste at the Bielefeld site, achieving a 40% reduction since 2019. Its long-term ambition is to create a zero-waste facility. Moreover, ZF’s focus on circular economy practices has led to up to 95% material savings and a 90% reduction in energy and CO2 emissions for remanufactured parts compared to new ones.
The “Cradle to Cradle” certification for ZF’s remanufactured product portfolio underscores its commitment to sustainable product design, from initial development to remanufacturing. Efforts are underway to boost the return rate of used parts from the current 35% to 90% within five years. Jörg Witthöft, Site Manager at ZF Bielefeld, emphasized, “Our goal is to merge economic efficiency with environmental responsibility, ensuring sustainability is integrated throughout the product lifecycle.”
The German Sustainability Award, established in 2008, celebrates companies excelling in addressing ecological and social challenges. Winners are selected by an expert jury for their transformative contributions across industries and key sustainability fields.
