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World automotive and industrial provider Schaeffler has signed a five-year contract with Norwegian firm REEtec AS for the acquisition of uncommon earth oxides. The purpose is to make electrical motors for hybrid modules, hybrid transmissions and all-electric axle drives much more sustainable.
Everlasting magnets manufactured utilizing uncommon earth metals reminiscent of neodymium produce optimum magnetic flux in electrical motors. In future, Schaeffler will procure these metals from REEtec AS, which makes use of a sustainable manufacturing course of. The partnership will start in 2024.
In REEtec, Schaeffler has gained a extremely revolutionary accomplice that makes use of a novel and particularly sustainable course of for the manufacturing of pure uncommon earth components. Uncommon earths play an essential position within the automotive and industrial segments. Schaeffler is specializing in attaining sustainability alongside the complete worth chain and is systematically gearing its actions to using supplies produced cleanly and sustainably. By this partnership, we’re additionally securing our provide of neodymium iron boron magnets for electrical motors.
—Andreas Schick, Chief Working Officer at Schaeffler AG
Schaeffler has been producing electrical motors on a big scale since 2021 and presents its clients energy courses starting from 20 kW to greater than 300 kW.
Based mostly on its proprietary know-how, REEtec has been separating uncommon earths at an industrial-scale demo-plant since 2019. The brand new plant in Herøya, close to Porsgrunn in Norway, will course of uncommon earth carbonates produced by Very important Metals in Canada.
In October 2021, Very important Metals and REEtec agreed to extend the quantity of their offtake settlement by 50%. The off-take settlement will provide REEtec with 750tons NdPr per 12 months over 5 years. The rise equates to 75% of Very important Metals’ expanded Saskatoon uncommon earth extraction plant capability. REEtec is utilizing Very important’s product as its principal feedstock.
Vitality environment friendly recycling of separation fluids. (Picture: Torbjørn Tandberg)
An essential factor within the REEtec course of is that nearly all consumables are recovered and re-utilized. The vitality demand can be very low and electrical energy consumption is predicated 100 % on hydro-electric sources from Norway’s inexperienced grid.
The partnership with REEtec is a part of the sustainable provide chain that Schaeffler is at the moment within the course of of building. The corporate goals to cut back the variety of emissions generated by preliminary merchandise and uncooked supplies within the provide chain by 25% by 2030 (Scope 3 upstream) and is ready to be carbon-neutral by 2040.
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