reducing production costs. By reusing water and materials in production, water consumption is reduced and natural resources are protected.
In addition, many manufacturers are reusing materials such as metals and plastics, further cutting down on waste and raw material dependency.
Ongoing Development
Besides waste reduction, ecofriendly manufacturing methods have been implemented to reduce environmental impact.
VOLVO: Leading the Charge in Sustainable Equipment Manufacturing
Volvo is a leading manufacturer in heavy equipment, particularly through its“ Volvo CE”( Construction Equipment) division. Volvo’ s leadership in the goal to provide a sustainable future for upcoming generations was made evident in 2022 when it captured the industry’ s attention with its initial rollout of a growing range of battery-powered machines. Its first entrant into this field was the ECR25 Electric compact excavator. That was followed the next year by the second generation ECR 25 Electric and the L25 Electric compact wheel loader. In 2024, Volvo unveiled its first midsize excavator model, the EC55 Electric Excavator. In addition, Volvo’ s EC300E Hybrid Excavator is able to deliver diesel power when needed for jobs where the demands are too high for battery-power alone.
As well as its investments in leading the industry shift to electrification, Volvo is also focused on other areas of machine design to maximize environmental performance. For example, they are using biocomposites made from plant-based fibers to produce their machine panels. These not only help make the manufacturing more sustainable, but they reduce overall weight which improves fuel economy and helps to enhance end-of-life recyclability.
In addition, Volvo CE’ s Co-Pilot technology helps to automate and reduce waste created during digging, loading and hauling operations.
March 2025 • www. thepartsconnection. org • 11