A team of employees decided that enough was enough and sought a replacement for the environmentally harmful single-use packaging. The objective was to come up with a reusable packaging system. In phase one, the team discussed the type, size, material and processing of the desired reusable transport packaging. Then, a prototype phase followed, in which the logistics specialists experimented with different materials and cuts. In order to save resources, they decided to make stable polyamide covers for the airbag products. The production of reusable transport covers utilizes 3,500 square meters of fabric leftovers.
The reusable protective covers were gradually introduced in the three plants from September 2020 to March 2021. Since then, they have been used nonstop. Meanwhile, the Mexican tinkerers have been sharing their experience in Chihuahua with colleagues in Germany and Poland. A test is currently taking place at the ZF plant in Mesa, Arizona, which also serves as a supplier for Chihuahua. "The initiative from Chihuahua is an impressive show of how sustainable projects can be used in practice – locally and pragmatically. The approach can also be transferred very well to other locations worldwide," says Mr. Karrer, ZF's Head of Sustainability.