BMW 2008 Annual Report Download - page 217

58
Moreover, at the Landshut plant’s light-metal foundry production experts have been re-
placing the previously used synthetic resin binders with odourless, low-emission mineral
binders since late . The new mineral binder will be used in the manufacture of new
products in the future. This will reduce the percentage of organic components in the
exhaust air by an impressive  percent. The whole foundry is slated to switch to this in-
organic binder system by .
“It is often possible to make extensive improvements just by completely rethinking estab-
lished processes,” says Herbert Höltschl, the BMW Group’s corporate officer for sustain-
ability and environmental protection and one of the originators of the project. “Sometimes
you even have to invest less to save more: We profit from doing less.”
What is particularly attractive about this approach is that the key to continuous improvement
lies within the production network itself. Because each plant constantly scrutinises the
efficiency of its production processes, there are always certain locations which lead the
way with their ideas, technologies and processes. Thanks to the ongoing exchange of
information and experience the plants systematically benefit from what others have already
achieved.
For instance, American production engineers in the body shop at the Spartanburg plant
developed an adhesive that works without the previously necessary -degree Celsius
heat drying process. Hence Spartanburg was able to avoid not only investing in a body
shop dryer but also made huge energy savings in its manufacturing operations. Following
the example of Regensburg, the plants in Leipzig, Munich and Rosslyn in South Africa
are now switching to this resource and cost-saving technology. One-time investment costs:
around , euros. Savings: . million euros in energy costs and around , tons
fewer CO emissions per year.