Autopromotec Talks: the first sustainability-themed meeting in Milan last 25 September
26/09/2024
The topic of sustainability was addressed by going beyond the discussion on electrification and instead exploring how the automotive industry is moving—sometimes silently but with conviction—towards more sustainable production.On 25 September, the “Autopromotec Talks” series of meetings kicked off, focusing on the hot topics of the 30th edition of Autopromotec, scheduled to take place in Bologna from 21 to 24 May 2025.
It was an opportunity to take an in-depth look at the most relevant topics in the automotive aftermarket, outlining the macro-themes that will be at the heart of the 30th edition of the Biennial. Starting with energy, resource efficiency, regeneration, circularity, through to the optimisation of production cycles, all concrete examples of how a genuine focus on sustainability is transforming the industry and the aftermarket. The first meeting, is entitled “Zero emissions and infinite solutions. Is it possible to be competitive and sustainable? Invisible! Sustainability that you don't expect from a car” featured some of the most renowned players in the aftermarket sector, who explained how the topic of sustainability adapts to their specific fields.
But what is sustainability? In 1972, the UN defined sustainability as the condition of development that ensures that the needs of the present generation are met, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Moreover, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which organises the Circular Economy Summit every year, defines the circular economy as “an economy designed to regenerate itself. A system in which all activities, starting with extraction and production, are organised so that someone’s waste becomes a resource for someone else.”
Lawyer Pietro Meda, deputy vice-president of Automobile Club Milano, opened the proceedings by emphasising that “Talking about mobility means talking about the circular economy. Today, the spotlight of mobility is only shining on a single segment of the entire production and post-production cycle, but this segment has a whole family supporting it, the supply chain. Understanding mobility therefore means that we cannot disregard the circular economy that represents it and that is made up of all the participants in production and post-production. Today, Automobile Club Milano, the home of motorists, wants to be home to the family that creates mobility: both those in the spotlight and those who are less visible”.
These concepts were the common thread of the interventions that, starting with specific real-life examples, illustrated how the automotive industry is already taking significant steps towards sustainability, from component production to after-sales management. However, these efforts often remain hidden from the eyes of the consumer.
Gianmarco Giorda, Director General of ANFIA, reiterated the numbers behind the “Commitment to Sustainability”. Car manufacturers in the EU in 2023, compared to 2005, reduced the energy used for production by 15% per unit produced, reduced CO2 emissions per unit produced by more than half, reduced water use per unit produced by about half, and reduced volatile organic compounds (VOC) per unit produced by more than half (source: Acea). He also reminded that 90% of the production costs (and therefore value) of an electric vehicle comes from its components (source: Clepa) while the recycling rate of steel in the automotive sector exceeds 80%, because this metal can be recycled indefinitely without losing its mechanical properties. Recycling steel requires significantly less energy than producing virgin steel, with energy consumption reduced by up to 75%. This results in lower CO2 emissions and a reduction in the overall environmental impact of the industry (source: ACI).
After an institutional outline of the topic, the companies spoke about their approach and the results achieved, as well as the strategies being implemented.
Matteo De Tomasi, President and CEO of Michelin Italiana, highlighted how tyres are an excellent example of circular economy and sustainability, almost unexpectedly because not so much is known about them. In Europe, thanks to various regulations in different countries, almost 100% of end-of-life tyres are recovered and allocated to other uses.
Technology in the field of end-of-life tyre treatment is developing rapidly, making it possible to produce new materials that can be used for a variety of purposes, including the manufacture of new tyres. One very specific example is the use of recycled Carbon Black instead of traditional fossil-based Carbon Black in the production of new tyres.
Technology is evolving faster than the laws and regulations that today still limit the use of recycled materials in production processes. Michelin is confident that in the foreseeable future the percentage of recycled or renewably sourced products that can be used in the manufacture of new tyres will rise rapidly to 100%.
Gianluca Meschi, CEO of Washtec, pointed out that the use of water resources is an increasingly important issue in many industries, and automatic car washes are no exception. On World Water Day in March, the Global Commission on the Economics of Water released a new report: by the end of the decade, the global demand for fresh water will exceed its availability by 40%. And it will only be man's fault. By implementing recycling systems, automatic car washes can reduce water consumption by up to 85%, which would mean using less fresh water than a washing machine or a 5-minute shower. Recycling water in automatic car washes is a win-win strategy in a number of ways: it reduces consumption of an increasingly valuable resource, reduces pollution, generates significant savings in operating costs, and improves corporate image. In a context where sustainability is becoming an ethical and commercial imperative, investing in water recycling is a forward-thinking choice for the future of the car wash industry.
Federica Bertoldi, Communication Manager of LKQ RHIAG, spoke about how “Repair, Recycle, Reuse, Regenerate: the 4 R's not to be forgotten” are small daily gestures that we can use to build a sustainability strategy that operates along three lines: development of our people, support for the communities in which we operate, and respect for and protection of the environment. Sustainability is not purely an ethical choice, but represents a new strategic model for improving the competitiveness and long-term success of companies. Repairing a vehicle, i.e. restoring it to proper working order and enabling it to return safely to the road, is in itself a more sustainable activity than buying a new car. But it is precisely through the activities of recovery, reuse and regeneration that the circular approach is apparent, and it is on these operational models that LKQ founded its corporate identity when it started up as a dismantler and recycler 25 years ago.
Massimo Greggio, CEO of USI Italia, took us on a journey of discovery into painting and how we can be more sustainable even in the body shop sector. According to data provided by Terna, the company that manages the national electricity grid, between January and June in Italy the production of electricity from renewable sources increased by +27.3% compared to the same period in 2023. Greater efficiency in terms of productivity, reducing waste and optimising the use of natural resources also means a greater contribution towards the environmental sustainability of companies.
The painting and drying phases in the oven are energy-intensive. This is because the first involves heating the air to around 25°C, and the second, the drying, involves raising the temperature to 80°C. To optimise consumption efficiency, control of the painting booths was introduced with industrial PCs in a Windows environment. This led to the development of software that is now so advanced that it can easily and intuitively guide the painter through the various stages, suggesting the best work cycle according to the number and type of workpieces to be processed and the paint to be used, without the need for further stages or processing.
Marco Seimandi, vice-president of Westport Fuel Systems Italy, then took the floor and brought to the audience's attention the solutions that are already available or easy to implement to power cars equipped with internal combustion engines with “otherwise sustainable” fuels, primarily gaseous bio-fuels but generally any other form of bio-fuel.
Closing the event was Autopromotec CEO Renzo Servadei, who invited those present “to look beyond the surface, with a different outlook, one that does not underestimate the hidden impact of production and at the same time places value on repair. By maintaining and repairing our current vehicle, we can exercise a form of sustainability that is often overlooked. The use of remanufactured materials and repair techniques to minimise waste reduces environmental impact. This is especially true when considering the entire life cycle of a vehicle. The path towards true sustainability is not just through the purchase of new technologies, but in maximising the use of what we already have.”
The Autopromotec Talks cycle of events will continue in the coming months, including the following topics: Artificial Intelligence, Data Act, Made in Italy, Racing and Safety.
