Company Voices on Sustainability Vol. 2

Marius Haefele – Product Manager for AM Services at BASF Forward AM

At BASF Forward AM, creating a more sustainable future for the generations to come is a central part of who we are. And as we focus on these new goals, we rely on each of our team members to be an integral part of our #ProjectZero initiatives. With that said, we are launching a blog series called “Company Voices on Sustainability,” where you will hear from individuals at Forward AM and how they are living more sustainably in both their professional and personal lives. Check out their stories on our Sustainability page.

The Only Way Forward is Together

#ProjectZero is a long-term commitment to reducing our impact on the planet by developing sustainable products, solutions, and production methods, while also studying the impact of the 3D printing industry and evolving the way we work through the education and encouragement of our team to make responsible choices.

Studying the Impact of the 3D Printing Industry: Ultrasim® 3D Sustainability Analysis (LCA) - BETA

Marius has been with BASF Forward AM for more than 5 years and has a background in Mechanical Engineering and Management. As product manager he focuses on the engineering services of our materials at BASF Forward AM, helping customers to advance in their application development. This includes services and software in the fields of lattices, simulation, TCO and now also sustainability.

Marius Häfele

Have you noticed an increase in the demand for more sustainable solutions?

Marius: There is growing awareness among individuals, businesses, and governments about the environmental challenges facing our planet, including climate change, pollution, and the depletion of natural resources. As a result, more people as well as businesses are seeking out sustainable products and services that have a lower environmental impact.

This shift towards sustainability is also reflected in the policies and practices of many companies and governments. Many businesses are adopting more sustainable practices to reduce their environmental footprint. Governments are also implementing policies and regulations to promote sustainability, such as carbon pricing, renewable energy mandates, and waste reduction programs.

Overall, there is a growing recognition that sustainable solutions are essential for ensuring a livable planet for future generations, with the result of driving demand for more sustainable products and services.

How do you respond to this growing/evolving demand?

Marius: We started by first integrating sustainability into our business strategies, then furthered our endeavors by implementing sustainable practices within BASF Forward AM while also communicating our efforts internally and externally as well as collaborating with partners to promote sustainability. Our focus is on the following:

Conduct Sustainability Assessments: We created a sustainability department that evaluates the environmental impact of our materials and identifies areas where it can improve.
Implement Sustainable Practices: We are implementing sustainable practices throughout our operations, such as switching to renewable energy sources, utilizing sustainable packaging, and investing in recycling programs.
Communicate Sustainability Efforts: We communicate our sustainability efforts to our customers, employees, the 3D printing community, and throughout the AM industry.
Collaborate with Partners: We are collaborating with our suppliers, customers, and partners to promote sustainability across the value chain. We joined the Additive Manufacturing Green Trade Association (AMGTA) and teamed up with industry leaders to jointly tackle the challenges.

Once the Life Cycle Assessment of a material and/or part is done, will you be offering to go forward and compensate the CO2 Emissions?

Marius: We want to help understanding the potential AM has through offering a sustainability service. This means providing more transparency along the value chain beyond the material production process. Our sustainability service aims to calculate the environmental footprint of 3D printed parts made from BASF Forward AM materials.

In addition, we are offering our partners and customers opportunities to reduce their carbon footprint by offsetting emissions as part of our Carbon Compensation program. This aims to reduce the remaining CO2 emissions and offset the material environmental impact. Our PP and TPU lines mark the beginning and will be soon followed by additional materials across the complete portfolio

Learn more about our Sustainability Service