Mercedes 2003 Annual Report Download - page 77
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Partnerships for sustainability. For DaimlerChrysler, assuming
global responsibility also means addressing issues that do not
directly affect the Group’s results. In India, we are beginning to test
the production of biodiesel from jatropha plants grown on
depleted soil. The jatropha shrub’s seeds contain large amounts
of oil which can be used to create high-grade biodiesel that
produces little in the way of emissions when burned and will be
used in Mercedes-Benz diesel vehicles in a fleet experiment.
The five-year project organized by DaimlerChrysler, the University
of Hohenheim and India’s Central Salt & Marine Chemicals
Research Institute (CSMCRI) will study various issues related to
sustainability. The researchers will also attempt to provide
the local population with additional economic benefits from the
utilization of byproducts.
The know how gained during the highly successful Brazilian rain-
forest project POEMA (Programa Pobreza e Meio Ambiente na
Amazônia), which uses renewable resources to produce materials
that can be used to make seats and headrests, will also be used
in a renewable-resource partnership for the automotive industry. In
this cooperative project with a Philippine organization, Daimler-
Chrysler researchers have successfully tested the possibility of
using abaca fibers from the Philippines in vehicle exteriors. These
fibers are actually better than the glass fibers used up to now.
With this initiative, DaimlerChrysler is once again striving to create
as much added value as possible in the third world while protecting
valuable resources.
Award for successful environmental protection. Daimler-
Chrysler has distributed its environmental-protection guidelines to
all locations worldwide. In addition, we continuously inform our
employees about the latest developments in environmental protec-
tion and encourage them to submit their own ideas and generate
new initiatives.
An example of this approach is our “Environmental Leadership
Award” (ELA) which honors employees worldwide for outstanding
achievements. In the category “production related environmental
protection” a project from the Düsseldorf plant took the first place
in 2003. Using a new mono-hydro paint, the plant reduced solvent
emissions from 350 tons to about 90 tons each year without
diminishing production capacity. This innovative paint, in which the
solvent content was reduced from 45% to 15%, will also be used
at other production locations in the future.
Another environmental project from Detroit is the runner-up in
the ELA category product related environmental protection. At
the development department in the Plymouth Road Office Complex,
a 100% recyclable thermoplastic seal material was developed to
replace a previous material that could not be recycled. These mate-
rials are mainly used for door seals. Furthermore, between 25%
and 50% energy savings are made in certain phases of the produc-
tion process. Current annual energy savings are about 450 MWh,
and rising. At the same time, the weight of these components was
reduced by up to 50%, saving fuel both in the transport of the
components and during the lifetime of the vehicle. In addition to
the very positive environmental effects, this innovation results in
total savings of US $3.2 million per annum.
Open dialogue with the public. To ensure that the general public
learns about DaimlerChrysler’s environmental protection efforts,
the Group has a policy of open communication and comprehensive
information. The Third Environmental Forum in Magdeburg,
organized by DaimlerChrysler and the United Nations Environmental
Program (UNEP), had over 300 participants from more than
20 countries. Representatives of governments, the scientific and
business communities, environmental organizations and the
media came together to develop new ideas and initiate new global
projects. At this event, the European Natural Heritage Fund
(EURONATUR) and the Bellagio Forum for Sustainable Development
presented DaimlerChrysler with the Environmental Communi-
cation Award in recognition of the Group’s integrated approach to
communicating environmental issues.
The final inspection of the fuelcell powered bus Mercedes-Benz Citaro – the ELA winner 2003 – in the DaimlerChrysler plant Mannheim