Closed Loop – Sustainability thanks to a closed material loop
07.03.2018 | Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH
Members of the "Closed Loop" project implemented a successful transition to regular operation in Leipzig on January 17. Closed Loop describes the optimization of the delivery flows between Salzgitter Flachstahl and the BMW Group Plant Leipzig.
Sustainable: Steel out – scrap in
Salzgitter Flachstahl has been supplying the BMW pressing plant in Leipzig with steel coils since November 2017. The special trucks that are deployed carry all the pressing plant scrap that has accrued with them on the return trip to Salzgitter. Closed Loop is doubly efficient. On the one hand, the trucks drive at full capacity for minimal CO2. On the other hand, recycling the material closes the material loop. Steel is ultimately the world's recycling champion: it can be fed back into steel production over and over again without losses.
Innovative: requested today, delivered tomorrow
Closed Loop means that for the first time, Salzgitter Flachstahl is now offering direct, just-in-time deliveries to an automotive plant. The usual consignment warehouse is eliminated. Instead of delivery to the warehouse with weekly precision, however, now the coils must arrive at BMW on the day after being requested with half-hour precision.
Reliability thanks to digitalization
The demands on logistics and process reliability are high, and called for numerous adjustments to the IT landscape. Today the BMW Group has online access to the inventory in Salzgitter. Salzgitter processes the electronically transmitted requirements fully automatically into transport orders that reach the shippers within a few minutes. Monitoring guarantees that no orders are lost.
Many participants – one objective
The success of the project with the BMW Group is based on cooperation involving the Salzgitter Flachstahl Sales, Planning, Production, Logistics and Quality Assurance areas. Integrating the group affiliates GESIS, DEUMU, DEUTRANS and VPS was just as important. Project managers Julia Wittig (BMW Group Plant Leipzig), Michael Klingebiel (BMW Group Plant Leipzig), and Hartmut Freiheit (SZFG) emphasized that the open and always dedicated teamwork allowed the project to be completed not only more rapidly than planned, but also without any start-up problems. The day was rounded off with an exclusive tour of the BMW Group Plant Leipzig.
Find out more with the help of the "Closed Loop" explanatory film (only available in German language)