Mahle plants in Germany ‘go green’

In 2021, Mahle — an international automotive parts manufacturer based in Stuttgart, Germany — reached a major milestone on its path toward group-wide carbon neutrality: as of last year, all German Mahle production locations are CO² neutral.

The technology group says it is committed to the Paris Climate Agreement and has adopted ‘binding reduction targets throughout the company’, the aim being to reach CO2-neutral production by 2040. Moreover, it says the use of self-generated power from renewable sources will increase annually.

Matthias Arleth, the Mahle Group’s chairman and CEO, said: “As a foundation-owned company, we have a special responsibility toward mankind and the environment. We see the Paris climate agreement as a binding mandate to minimise emissions caused by mobility. Our technologies are already helping to make individual mobility more efficient, more sustainable, and thus more environment friendly.

“Today, the Group is increasingly focusing its attention on internal company structures and processes. In both the production and administrative areas, we aim to leverage further potential in environmental protection and overall sustainable corporate governance.”

Energy efficiency
One example is the area of energy efficiency where, for instance, Mahle is increasingly using self-generated electricity and will in future be able to partially meet its energy needs with eco-friendly solar power from the company’s own photovoltaic systems. This year, the Group will be launching corresponding projects in all regions of the world in which it operates.

The use of renewable energy is not new to Mahle, as its Austrian plants have all been powered for many years by electricity generated exclusively from renewable energy resources. Indeed, last year, the plant in St Michael ob Bleiburg received an award from the Austrian Ministry of Environment for its portfolio of climate and environmental protection measures.

Kathrin Apel, Mahle’s global head of sustainability, occupation health, safety and environment, said: “For us, sustainability means building a future in which the well-being of our employees, as well as environmental and climate protection, go hand in hand with positive business growth. We have set ourselves some ambitious goals here, which we are driving forward.”

The latest sustainability report can be downloaded from Mahle’s website (www.mahle.com/en/about-mahle/environment).