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commitment to sustainability

Our Commitment to Sustainability

When we first developed high-performance plastics for motion, the topic of environmental protection was admittedly not our main focus. We wanted to develop products that bolstered our clients' manufacturing, improveed technology and reduced costs. Despite this, recycling has always been a sincerely important topic, and we now reuse 99% of our plastic waste by processing it into granulate material and recycling it back into the production process.
 
Today, we know that longer lasting products that do not require lubrication contribute to preserving our environment. Eliminating messy, external lubricants means less environmental pollution, less abrasion & less pollution with microplastics, and less weight—meaning less energy required for movement.
 
As producers of special plastics, we have clients in many industries as well as the sensitive area of medicine. We are aware of our responsibility to the environment along with the possibilities that plastic offers in many areas compared to steel, and we continue to research new materials and products that will benefit our clients and our environment.

Sustainable Innovations

PFAS-tested and PTFE-free bearings

PFAS-Tested and PTFE-Free iglide® Bearings

iglide® PFAS-tested and PTFE-free bearings help support sustainability goals by providing a low-maintenance, self-lubricating solution without intentionally added PTFE or potentially harmful PFAS chemicals.

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  • Shop PFAS-Tested and PTFE-Free Bearings
    • A351 BPA-free bearing

    Bisphenol-free iglide® A351 for food contact

    Our newest addition to the iglide® product family is the A351 material — a bisphenol-free version of our FDA-compliant iglide® A350 material, which will be phased out by January 2028 due to new EU regulations. Watch our short update video using the link below to learn more.

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    • Cradle e-chain E2.1.CG

    Cradle e-chain® E2.1.CG

    The first cable carrier made of 100% recycled cable carrier material. Based on the igus® chainge recycling program, the new E2.1 (micro) catalog range was created from 100% recycled material - of course tested in the igus® laboratory.

    ECO bearings

    iglide® ECO plain bearings product range

    The new, sustainable iglide® ECO materials ECO H, ECO P, ECO A180 and ECO G consist of 100% regranulates of the top materials that have proven themselves for many years. They are tested just like all other materials and are suitable for many applications.

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    • bearing

    Recycling adapter for liners

    Linear housings made of 100% recycled igus® polymer P4 and liners made of iglide® J4 with high recycling material content. The split linear housings also enable fast bearing replacement directly on the round shaft.

  • Shop drylin® ecological linear bearing

    • Before: Production of Plastics and Parts

    Energy Balance

    The production of 1 m3 of plastic requires around 50% less energy than that of 1 m3 of steel or aluminum.

    Oil Consumption

    The production of high-performance plastics accounts for just 0.5% of global oil consumption.

    After: Plastics After Their Use

    chainge Recyling Program

    We launched our "chainge" cable carrier recycling program in 2019. You can send us used energy chains (from igus or other manufacturers). You receive a voucher, and we separate components by type and use them ourselves or supply them to recycling partners.

    Chemical Recycling - HydroPRS

    We have invested five million euros in Mura Technology, a company that uses a new technology, HydroPRS (Hydro Plastic Recycling Solution), to convert unsorted plastic waste to crude oil within 20 minutes. Conserves resources with pressure, temperature, and water.

    In Use: Plastics In Use

    27 million tons of grease pollute the environment globally every year. Our polymers do not require lubrication.

    50% of all lubricants sold worldwide end up in the environment. (Source: M.P. Schneider, 2006)

    1 liter of oil contaminates 1,000,000 liters of drinking water. (Source: Saskatchewan Association for Resource Recovery Corp., 2008)

    A third of the total fuel consumption of a passenger vehicle is used to overcome friction in the engine, gearbox, tires, and brakes. (Source: K. Holmerg, P. Andersson, A. Erdemir, 2012)

    Global demand for lubricants will increase by 2% annually, according to forecasts. (Source: The Freedonia Group, 2015)

    99% recycled

    99% of our rejects in injection-molding production (sprues, defective parts) are recycled and returned to the manufacturing process.



    99% recycled

    Clean igus program

    Mechanical measures such as magnetic foils and guide plates prevent parts from falling out of the machines in the production process and becoming waste. We reduced our waste ratio (production waste + processed material) by 21% in 2021 thanks to these and other measures. 

    clean igus program

    Power consumption

    All of the electricity we purchase is green, and we are reducing the amount of power our machinery and equipment consume. We are acquiring injection molding machines that are 40% more energy efficient and replacing old ones. We reduced power consumption by 11% in 2021 even as we increased production hours. 

    power consumption

    Certified According to ISO 14001

    ISO 14001

    In order to make our environmental policy transparent and comprehensible, we have been certified according to ISO standard 14001 since 2019, a recognized basis for environmental management systems. This helps us on our way towards a CO2-neutral factory.

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    Contact Us

    Questions or product information? Please contact:

    igus® inc.+1 800 521 2747Contact an Expert

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