Clemson conference highlights advances in sustainable auto manufacturing

Published: April 6, 2011

Paul Venhovens, BMW Endowed Chair in Systems Integration, leads German ambassador Dr. Klaus Scharioth on a tour of CU-ICAR. image by: Craig Mahaffey

GREENVILLE — The BMW Group’s first hybrid vehicle, the X6 ActiveHybrid, was manufactured at the company’s South Carolina plant. The plant also manufactures the German automaker’s new X3 vehicle that incorporates cutting-edge technologies to make it more efficient.

Such innovations demonstrate BMW’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing, Josef Kerscher, president of BMW Manufacturing, said during his keynote address to the International Conference on Sustainable Automotive Technologies, or ICSAT 2011.

Clemson University is hosting more than 100 auto industry representatives from around the world at this week's conference at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) to discuss new technologies and approaches in sustainable mobility.

Kerscher said Tuesday that economic, environmental and social sustainability are core strategies for BMW. Such initiatives include producing vehicles with sustainable or recycled materials, engines with lower emissions and lightweight materials that help reduce fuel consumption.

At its Greer plant, the company has reduced energy consumption, reduced wastewater and recycles 85 percent of its waste materials.

“We are moving forward dramatically to more efficient manufacturing,” Kerscher said. “This is what we call sustainability in manufacturing.”

ICSAT 2011, which is hosted with the Institute for Technology and Design in Ingolstadt, Germany, and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia, is being held in North America for the first time.

Clemson University President James F. Barker and John Kelly, Clemson University vice president for economic development, public service and agriculture, both underscored the university’s commitment to sustainability.

Last year, Clemson announced an initiative to transform the main campus into a national model for sustainability. The plan calls for building a comprehensive system of renewable energy production, efficient distribution and conservation that will eliminate the use of coal, offer research and educational opportunities for faculty and students; and provide partners with innovative solutions, technology testing and demonstration sites for pilot programs.

“We have a strong environmental conscience,” Kelly said.

After visiting Clemson’s main campus on Monday, Dr. Klaus Scharioth, German ambassador to the United States, told the conference that investments between Germany and the United States, such as BMW’s South Carolina plant, help foster an exchange of ideas and new techniques.

“If we want to move forward we have to maintain the investment,” Scharioth said.

The conference, which concludes Wednesday, also features discussions on BMW Group’s approach to sustainable mobility, a biofuel processing outlook and lightweight structures and material processing.

Jöerg Wellnitz, vice dean of the faculty of engineering at Hochschule Ingolstad and conference co-chairman, moderated a panel on vehicle systems and lightweighting. The panel included presentations on design for sustainability and material selection and discontinuous fiber composites.

Frank Weith, technical strategy manager for Volkswagen Group, delivered a guest lecture on the evolution of vehicle technologies.

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Conference sponsors

• Gold: BMW Manufacturing Co., Eastman, Michelin USA, South Carolina Research Authority
• Silver: CADFEM, Proterra, University of Ingolstadt
• Bronze: Benteler, Duke Energy, Mallett Technology