Recycling is the buzz word these days, although pretty obviously it is far from new even in the automotive industry.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Every scrap yard is a classic example!
Quite apart from stripping the useful parts and accessories the end result, the bare bones body shell, finds its way back to the furnace to start the whole process over again.
Even more extreme is the use of an entirely new material instead of metal.
Henry Ford even used soybean-based plastics in his vehicles some 100 years ago and, in a classic 'back to the future' moment, Ford is sourcing coffee-bean remnants from Ronald McDonald to make headlight housings for its top of range Lincoln Continentals.
Competitive Green Technologies, with a plant in Leamington Ontario, took up the challenge and developed the technology to turn coffee bean skins into a resin that can be used in the automotive industry.
Initial research was undertaken out of the University of Guelph who subsequently patented the process. Ford then convinced McDonalds to divert their coffee waste direct to the Leamington plant to work their magic.
Considering McDonalds throws away 1.2 million pounds of coffee skins each week, seems like supply will not be a problem even though it takes 392,000 bean skins to make just one headlight housing!
Ford is already considering using the resin in other Ford vehicles including the Mustang, so when you drive into the drive-thru at your local Macca's, in your shiny new Mustang for a coffee, don't be surprised if you're asked "Do you want fries with that?"