July 15, 2021 – Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, and Martin Daum, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG, have honoured the American steel supplier Big River Steel (BRS) for the exceptionally sustainable production of steel.
We are well on track for executing our sustainable business strategy. In close cooperation with our suppliers, we sharpened our focus on sustainability along the entire supply chain. Together we want to keep exceeding the expectations of our customers by taking technology, quality, and sustainability to a new level.
Ola Källenius Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG
By using recycled steel scrap and renewable energy, Big River Steel is able to reduce the CO₂ emissions for Mercedes-Benz products in steel manufacturing by more than 70% compared to the traditional blast furnace route. In addition, the partner has set up a closed cycle in which the sheet-steel offcuts generated during production are fully recycled. The Big River Steel plant in Osceola, Arkansas, is the first steel production facility to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. Steel is a core component in vehicle construction and is very energy-intensive to produce.
Other nominees were:
- Pöppelmann – The medium-sized plastics processing company from Germany is working intensively on the development of a sustainable material loop and a 100% post-consumer recyclate that meets high quality standards. In addition, the moulding technique saves 10% weight during production, making plastic more sustainable as a lightweight material.
- Sansera – The Indian supplier achieved significant CO₂ savings through a partial switch to solar and wind energy. In addition, the company has carried out numerous projects to protect the environment at its site. This commitment is also particularly noteworthy because companies in India can take advantage of longer implementation periods with respect to the Paris Climate Agreement. Sansera is already working systematically towards early achievement of these goals.