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Sustainable development  |
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The AFE Group has been involved in initiatives for the preservation of natural resources since its inception, and continually invests in optimising not only components for its customers, but also its manufacturing processes. In 1995, it began developing new concepts in waste recovery, which was in particular recognised by the awarding in 1999 of a major European environmental award, the Eureka Lillehammer Award, for the success of its European Eureka project (6 partners in five different countries).
The AFE Metal branch today recycles some 60,000 tonnes of scrap iron annually (primarily from the automobile industry) thanks to its exclusive use of electric arc or induction furnaces and by reusing over 90% of all moulding sand. Design improvements contribute to reducing the weight of all types of vehicle, and therefore optimising their hydrocarbon consumption.
The quality and fineness of heat treatment assemblies produced by the AFE Cronite branch optimises heat treatment furnace loads and thus drastically reduces electricity and gas consumption per treated item. In 2005 a new alloy, called HRZ, was launched; although it uses only half the amount of nickel, a scarce and expensive metal, the exceptional longevity of heat treatment assemblies is maintained. The branch also recovers end-of-heat treatment assemblies from customers to recycle the nickel they contain, thereby reducing its consumption of fresh nickel.
The AFE Plasturgie branch has divided the weight of airbag covers by 2.5 in ten years (and therefore quantities of material used and ultimately hydrocarbon and rubber consumption per vehicle) thanks to effective developments in four successive generations of technology. At the same time, advances in plastic injection techniques have divided electricity consumption per item produced by four. Lastly, the branch recycles more than 60% of its waste plastic in the manufacture of other plastic components with less stringent requirements than those for airbag covers.
All Group sites are either ISO 14001 certified, or undergoing certification. |
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