BMW Group builds closed-looped recycling system.

With a closed material cycle for production equipment made from hard metal, the BMW Group saves around seven tonnes of tungsten per year.

The BMW Group is consistently and responsibly implementing its comprehensive sustainability strategy. By recycling used drilling and milling inserts from production equipment, the BMW Group reduces its annual consumption of the conflict resource tungsten by seven tonnes. This new and sustainable material cycle is being implemented with immediate effect in all German and Austrian BMW plants.

In this way, energy consumption is reduced by 70% and CO₂ emissions are cut by 60% compared to primary tungsten. The BMW Group is committed to preserving and – wherever possible – reusing valuable resources.

“Every gram counts”

Tungsten, a “conflict material”, is used in mobile phones, glow wires in light bulbs as well as for drilling and milling tools in vehicle production. As part of the new closed-looped material cycle, the BMW Group collects used drilling and milling inserts from its German and Austrian production plants to recycle them. The secondary tungsten is then used to make new drilling and assembly tools. The result: several tonnes of the hard metal are preserved, and valuable resources are protected,

Mining conflict materials such as tungsten are associated with violations of environmental and social standards. Another reason for implementing this initiative. Dr. Andreas Wendt: “With every gram of tungsten that does not need to be mined, we protect natural resources and reduce violations of environmental and social standards.”