Scania is taking its sustainability promises pretty seriously after having revealed that it is even employing the sand used in its Swedish foundry for re-use as mortar in building projects.
Scania says it is aiming to turning 20,000 tonnes of used sand from its foundry into mortar instead of it going into landfill.
The recycled sand from the foundry is being sent to construction material producer Weber Saint-Gobain, which the company claims will save on virgin materials as well as enhancing the circularity at both companies.
Scania says its purpose is to drive the shift towards a sustainable transport system, and a key part of this is adopting circular business models, which it says will maximise the use of existing resources and minimising waste.
The company says that since Weber’s products are primarily composed of natural aggregates, such as virgin sand and gravel, it means its resources are accessible but finite.
The company says it has dedicated many years to the pursuit of substitutes for virgin sand to establish a more circular economy and diminish environmental impact.
Scania says the collaboration with Weber means used sand from Scania’s foundry is transported to mortar manufacturing instead of landfill.
”To be efficient with the limited resources we have on Earth, and prolong their lifespan is a way to lessen the impact on the environment. Re-using the large amounts of sand that are used in the casting of engine components is one of many actions that enables Scania to remain in the lead of the transition to sustainable transports,” said Scania’s head of sustainability, Fredrik Nilzén.
The shipment of the used foundry sand have already begun, and in 2025 Scania says that about 20,000 tonnes of sand will be transported the 150 kilometres between Scania in Södertälje and Weber Saint-Gobain in the town of Vingåker, which is the equivalent to three fully loaded trucks every day.
Scania added that ll of the shipments are return cargo from Stockholm, which it emphasises has a a positive climate impact, as the trucks otherwise would return empty.
It says that the cooperation means less virgin sand has to be extracted and that the positive environmental impact is immediate.
“With the sand from Scania, we lessen the use of virgin sand with 30 percent, and the potential is even greater. The ambition is to have substituted all the virgin sand in our products with alternative aggregates by 2035,” said Weber Saint-Gobain’s R&D director, Anders Anderberg.
Scania says it has a history of collaborating with other innovative players, and says it welcomes initiatives where the company can work across industries.
“Our values are shared by many, and the opportunity to leverage each other’s expertise to create a society that benefits everyone should not be missed,” said Nilzén.
