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Make Your Supply Chain Greener Now - ZF
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Purchased materials such as steel play an important role in this context. The following is a glance behind the scenes.</p> </div> </div> <div class="zfcsts-author-box"> <div class="zfcsts-author"> Author: Frank Thoma, 2023-03-27 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <!--end Story Stage--><!-- begin section_wrapper --> </div> </div> <!-- begin section_wrapper_part --> <div class="zfcsw-wrapper zfcsw-wrapper-white " id="wrapper_padded_846798"> <div class="zfcsw-wrapper-content zfc-wrapper-content"> <!-- end section_wrapper_part --> <!-- end section_wrapper --> <!--begin Text with image + gallery--> <div class="zfctm-text-media zfctm-text-media-text-only" id="tm_seq1_1012532" > <div class="row"> <div class="zfctm-text-media-heading-wrapper"> <div class="zfctm-text-copy zfcui-prometo-light"> <p>High in the north of Sweden, less than 100 kilometers from the Arctic Circle, a new industrial revolution is being born. Here, near the small town of Boden, the start-up H2 Green Steel is currently building a new steel-mill. This steel-mill is special. From the year 2026 onwards, it will produce so-called green steel. The smelting process itself will take place inside electric arc furnaces powered by sustainably generated electricity and utilizing green hydrogen. During the reduction process, the latter replaces conventional common coking coal, which is extremely harmful to the environment. Compared to the traditional process, carbon emissions at H2 Green Steel are reduced by up to 95 percent. Reason enough for ZF to order 250,000 tons of this almost carbon neutral steel delivered every year until 2033. This quantity covers approximately one tenth of the total demand by ZF in 2021.</p> </div> </div> <div class="zfctm-text-media-content-wrapper"> </div> </div> </div> <!--end Text with image + gallery--> <!--begin Text with image + gallery--> <div class="zfctm-text-media zfctm-text-media-text-only" id="tm_seq2_1012533" > <div class="row"> <div class="zfctm-text-media-heading-wrapper"> <div class="zfctm-headline"> <h2 class="zfctm-headline-text zfcui-prometo-medium">Carbon Neutrality: All Activities Checked</h2> </div> <div class="zfctm-text-copy zfcui-prometo-light"> <p>The conclusion of this contract between the two companies in the spring of 2022 signals a major step forward towards ZF's plans for carbon neutrality by 2040. This will only be possible if not only the company's own activities are carbon neutral, but also all purchased raw materials, their precursors and of course the necessary energy. ZF pursues different approaches to reduce emissions in the downstream value-added chain. “For one, we are working with our suppliers to switch to materials or technologies that emit less carbon. But we are also putting a fresh emphasis on the issue of producing electricity from renewable sources, as we regard clean electricity as a decisive lever to achieve decarbonization,” says Michael Schmitt, Vice President Supplier Management and Sustainability. His sustainability team from Materials Management defines binding sustainability requirements for suppliers of a wide array of varied materials and for suppliers of energy.</p> </div> </div> <div class="zfctm-text-media-content-wrapper"> </div> </div> </div> <!--end Text with image + gallery--> <!--begin Text with image + gallery--> <div class="zfctm-text-media zfctm-text-media-text-only" id="tm_seq3_1012534" > <div class="row"> <div class="zfctm-text-media-heading-wrapper"> <div class="zfctm-headline"> <h2 class="zfctm-headline-text zfcui-prometo-medium">Steel: Versatility at a Heavy Cost</h2> </div> <div class="zfctm-text-copy zfcui-prometo-light"> <p>According to the global association Worldsteel, the global industry produced 1.95 billion tons of steel in the year 2021. This makes the production of steel responsible for seven to nine percent of direct emissions of CO2. Following the construction sector, the automotive industry is the largest purchaser of steel. Every year, the ZF Group directly or indirectly processes approximately 2.5 million tons of this versatile material. Steel is extremely resistant yet shapeable and can also be infinitely recycled. However, its many advantages must be weighed against one considerable disadvantage: Steel comes with a huge cost in emissions.</p> </div> </div> <div class="zfctm-text-media-content-wrapper"> </div> </div> </div> <!--end Text with image + gallery--> <!--begin Text with image + gallery--> <div class="zfctm-text-media zfctm-text-media-full-width zfctm-full-width-media" id="quote_1012535" > <div class="row"> <div class="zfctm-text-media-heading-wrapper"> </div> <div class="zfctm-text-media-content-wrapper"> <div class="zfctm-quote zfcatm-media-content"> <div class="zfctm-quote-wrapper"> <div class="zfctm-quote-text zfcui-prometo-medium">“Our goal is to address key issues early on and together with suppliers such as H2 Green Steel, to drive the development of innovative steel products and solutions."</div> <span class="zfctm-quote-author zfcui-prometo-light">Matthias Lang, Vice President Production Materials, Steel Components at ZF</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <!--end Text with image + gallery--> <!--begin Text with image + gallery--> <div class="zfctm-text-media zfctm-text-media-text-only" id="tm_seq3_1_1012536" > <div class="row"> <div class="zfctm-text-media-heading-wrapper"> <div class="zfctm-text-copy zfcui-prometo-light"> <p>Manufactured the traditional way inside a classic blast furnace, the production of a single ton of steel generates more than 1.8 tons of carbon dioxide. The procedure utilized by the new supplier H2 Green Steel, however, avoids 95 percent of carbon emissions. Their process of steel production mostly generates nothing but harmless steam as a byproduct. “Our goal is to address key issues early on and together with suppliers such as H2 Green Steel, to drive the development of innovative steel products and solutions. It is one of our top priorities to further reduce the carbon footprint of our products,” says Matthias Lang, Vice President Production Materials, Steel Components.</p> </div> </div> <div class="zfctm-text-media-content-wrapper"> </div> </div> </div> <!--end Text with image + gallery--> <!--begin Text with image + gallery--> <div class="zfctm-text-media" id="tm_seq4_img_1012537" > <div class="row"> <div class="zfctm-text-media-heading-wrapper"> <div class="zfctm-headline"> <h2 class="zfctm-headline-text zfcui-prometo-medium">Solutions Through Supplier Partnership</h2> </div> <div class="zfctm-text-copy zfcui-prometo-light"> <p>Other than cooperating with new partners, ZF also supports its existing suppliers in their development towards a more sustainable production. For example, towards the year of 2021 the technological company embarked on a pilot project with Mubea Tellerfeder GmbH. Both sides investigated which of the transmission disk springs already being produced in volume production and supplied to ZF for years would be suitable for a sustainability project.</p> </div> </div> <div class="zfctm-text-media-content-wrapper"> <div class="zfcci-image-container" > <div class="zfcci-image-wrapper zfcui-aspect-3-2"> <span class="zfcci-image-copyright"></span> <img alt="Other than cooperating with new partners, ZF also supports its existing suppliers in their development towards a more sustainable production. For example, towards the year of 2021 the technological company embarked on a pilot project with Mubea Tellerfeder GmbH. Both sides investigated which of the transmission disk springs already being produced in volume production and supplied to ZF for years would be suitable for a sustainability project." data-src="https://www.zf.com/master/media/magazine/2023/23_03/green_materials/disc_spring_3_2_748px.jpg" > </div> <div class="zfcci-image-caption zfc-width-100"> <span><p>Example of a transmission disk spring made of green steel, as it is currently being examined by ZF experts.</p></span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <!--end Text with image + gallery--> <!--begin Text with image + gallery--> <div class="zfctm-text-media zfctm-text-media-text-only" id="tm_seq4_1_1012538" > <div class="row"> <div class="zfctm-text-media-heading-wrapper"> <div class="zfctm-text-copy zfcui-prometo-light"> <p>Finally, the participants identified two suitable types. In a next step, they determined the product carbon footprint (PCF) for the two transmission disk springs using the current production method. In close cooperation with ZF as the customer, Mubea subsequently converted the manufacturing process for the steel used within the pilot project to “green steel”. At the end of January 2023, Mubea delivered the first manufacturing batch of the “green” transmission disk springs to ZF for an expert opinion.</p><p>Metals dealer Klöckner & Co SE has also recognized the signs of the time and acts accordingly. The Duisburg-based company offers its customers over 200,000 products with individually calculated product carbon footprint (PCF). Customers like ZF use such PCF information to improve their transparency. Since the end of January 2023, the Klöckner Group subsidiary Becker Stahl-Service also supplies the PCF for selected parts in the flat steel sector.</p> </div> </div> <div class="zfctm-text-media-content-wrapper"> </div> </div> </div> <!--end Text with image + gallery--> <!--begin Text with image + gallery--> <div class="zfctm-text-media zfctm-text-media-text-only" id="tm_seq5_1012539" > <div class="row"> <div class="zfctm-text-media-heading-wrapper"> <h3 class="zfctm-kicker"> <span class="zfctm-kicker-text zfcui-prometo-medium">First Movers Coalition</span> </h3> <div class="zfctm-headline"> <h2 class="zfctm-headline-text zfcui-prometo-medium">Voluntary Promotion of Carbon Neutrality</h2> </div> <div class="zfctm-text-copy zfcui-prometo-light"> <p>As one of more than 60 large companies worldwide, ZF is a founding member of the “First Movers Coalition” (FMC). Founded in 2021, the FCM is a partnership between the World Economic Forum and the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry. The task of the First Movers Coalition is to massively advance the development and use of urgently needed carbon reducing technologies in different areas of application. Until the year 2030, the members of this coalition have pledged to purchase as many zero-emission goods and services as possible. This is intended to stimulate the demand for low-carbon technologies, make them capable of competing and lead to the establishment of clean supply chains for the future. Upon joining, ZF made a purchase promise for the “Steel” sector. With the large order for steel from H2 Green Steel, ZF will already begin to fulfil its FMC promise in the year 2025. This makes ZF a pioneer.</p> </div> </div> <div class="zfctm-text-media-content-wrapper"> </div> </div> </div> <!--end Text with image + gallery--><!--begin Story Author--> <div class="zfcsa-story-author"> <div class="row"> <div class="zfcai-author-profile"> <div class="zfai-author-image"> <img src="https://www.zf.com/master/media/magazine/authors/ZF_Frank-Thoma_magazine_author.jpg" alt="author_image" /> </div> <div class="zfai-author-caption-wrapper"> <p><strong>Frank Thoma</strong> has been corporate editor at ZF since 2011. With a degree in journalism, he has been planning, writing and editing articles for all of the company’s internal, external media.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <!--end Story Author--><!-- begin section_wrapper --> </div> </div> <!-- begin section_wrapper_part --> <div class="zfcsw-wrapper zfcsw-wrapper-grey " id="section_wrapper_3_848151"> <div class="zfcsw-wrapper-content zfc-wrapper-content"> <!-- end section_wrapper_part --> <!-- end section_wrapper --><!--begin Divider--> <!--begin divider_part--> <h3 class="zfc-separator " id="divider_848152"> <span class="zfc-dotted-line zfcui-prometo-light zfc-dotted-line-inherit zfcui-color-inherit">Further Information</span> </h3> <!--end divider_part--> <!--end Divider--> <!--begin Flex Teaser--> <div class="zfctf-teasers zfctf-teasers-row zfctf-teasers-row-text7-img5 " id="flex_teasers_848153" > <div class="row"> <!--begin Single Flex Teaser--> <div class="zfctf-teaser" > <!--begin divider_part--> <div class="zfc-separator " > <span class="zfc-dotted-line zfcui-prometo-light zfc-dotted-no-title zfc-dotted-line-inherit zfcui-color-inherit"></span> </div> <!--end divider_part--> <div class="zfctf-teaser-item"> <div class="zfctf-teaser-image-wrapper "> <a href="https://www.zf.com/mobile/en/sustainability/sustainability.html" target="_self" aria-label="opens in a new tab"> <img data-src="https://www.zf.com/master/media/corporate/m_zf_com/company/annual_report_1/2022_1/Acting-Now_2048x1365px_Redux_3_2_748px.jpg" alt="Acting now. Sustainability@ZF"> </a> </div> <div class="zfctf-teaser-content-wrapper"> <h2 class="zfctf-teaser-title zfc-title zfcui-prometo-medium">How ZF Thinks and Acts Sustainably</h2> <div class="zfctf-teaser-copy zfc-copy zfcui-color-black zfcui-prometo-light" data-text-limit="210"> Sustainability encompasses far more than environmental protection. It also includes topics such as social responsibility, equal rights and equal opportunities. ZF has already achieved a great deal in this regard, and has also set itself ambitious targets for the future. Find out here what they are – and how ZF is ensuring more sustainability. </div> <!-- begin button_part --> <div class="zfcui-prometo-medium zfcui-btn-wrapper" > <a href="https://www.zf.com/mobile/en/sustainability/sustainability.html" target="_self" > <div class="zfcui-btn zfcui-btn-link" role="button"> <span class="zfcui-btn-label zfcui-btn-label-wi"> <span > Learn more </span> <span class="zfcui-btn-icon zfcui-icon zfcui-icon-arrow-big-thin-r" ></span> </span> </div> </a> </div> <!-- end button part --> </div> </div> </div> <!--end Single Flex Teaser--> </div> </div> <!--end Flex Teaser--> </div> </div> <!-- googleoff: snippet --> </main> </div> </body> </html>