Investment in sustainability in the manufacturing sector is on somewhat of a knife's edge as we see the impact of the tragic events in Ukraine spread. As oil prices contribute to soaring inflation, the global manufacturing sector is forecast to slow, with some predicting a recession in Europe and North America.

In the past, economic performance has correlated with decisions around sustainability investment. Will the same hold true this time around?

Learn how digital transformation can support manufacturing efforts to go green.

Infrastructure funding, to the tune of $3.1 billion dollars, has been announced by the US DoE (Department of Energy) this month. This fund has been allocated to create, and retrofit existing, EV battery manufacturing facilities across the nation. A further $60 million will also be spent on both supporting a circular economy for re-use of batteries, as well as recycling materials back into the supply chain.

These investments align with the broader governmental strategy to strengthen America's energy independence.

As part of its announcement to join the First Mover's Coalition (FMC), Ford is committing to partner to create green steel and aluminium, through the investment in technology and scale to make this commercially viable. This has resulted in the company pledging that by 2030 at least 10 per cent of all steel and aluminium purchased (per year, by volume) will be near zero carbon intensity. 

Last month BMW launched its BMW iFACTORY strategy; an approach for its legacy and future plants as it plans its shift to e-mobility.

The BMW iFACTORY. LEAN. GREEN. DIGITAL., approach emphasises how factories of the future will combine new technologies, such as virtualization, data science and artificial intelligence, with sustainable practices such as renewable energy use and circularity, designed in from the outset.

Its plant in Debrecen, Hungary will launch in 2025 and is planned to be the first CO2 free vehicle plant in the world.

With an additional $1.1 billion raised for a factory expansion, this brings Northvolt's equity and debt close to $8 billion as it increases manufacturing capacity to reach its goal of delivering $55 billion in orders to key clients.

As part of its commitment to sustainable manufacturing, it aims by 2030 to meet half of its requirements for raw materials to be sourced from recycled batteries.

To improve the sustainability of its tires, Bridgestone has partnered with Dow to develop a silicone-based tire sealant technology – "B-SEALS." Advantages to this approach include end-of-life tire recycling, extended tire life as well as being able to easily separate sealant from tires in repair of punctures. 

Watch as Omdia's Alex West, Senior Principal Analyst, Manufacturing Technology, explores what motivates the automotive industry and examines product maturity.