Il Hera Groupthrough the subsidiary Herambiente, and Leonardo, through the Aerostructures Division, will collaborate in the study of the recovery of carbon fibers contained in polymer matrix composite materials used for the construction of aircraft parts. Thanks to the innovative plant created in Emilia-Romagna by the multiutility and the know-how developed in the group's laboratories Leonardo, the precious material will be recycled with positive consequences in terms of sustainability and circularity.
The experimentation then beginsfull-scale” of a future industrial activity of carbon fiber recovery in the aerospace sector using advanced technologies that will allow its reuse as a secondary raw material.
Leonardo, through academic and industrial partnerships, has developed over the years a profound expertise in recycling materials and processes and, supported by the experience in waste recycling of Herambiente, the leading national operator in the environmental sector, is actively committed to closing a circular supply chain on an industrial scale also in this strategic sector.
Horace Iacono, Chief Executive Officer of Hera Group declared: “This partnership, fully consistent with the Hera Group's objectives of decarbonisation and development of the circular economy, also has a strategic value with a view to promoting short (reshoring) and circular supply chains in Italy and Europe. These pioneering projects require alliances in which each partner makes resources and skills available to accompany the green transition processes of many national industrial champions active in different business sectors - aerospace, but also automotive, nautical and furniture to name a few -, and generate thus environmental, economic and social benefits for numerous supply chains".
Stefano Bortoli, Managing Director of the Aerostructures Division of Leonardo said: "A collaboration not only aimed at recovering and regenerating carbon fibre, but also projected towards innovation because it is capable of consolidating and further developing a know-how that makes the recycling of carbon fiber reinforced composites increasingly more efficient. Thanks to this agreement with Herambiente, Leonardo is even more committed to maintaining the circular value of waste, reducing the use of virgin raw materials and using recycled material also for internal applications, as envisaged by the broader Sustainability strategy of Group".
Research and technological innovation are the enabling factors for the creation of circular business models in line with the group's sustainability strategy Leonardo and with the multilateral commitments undertaken at an international level. Circular models and practices are increasingly becoming a key element for competitiveness by supporting innovative processes and the ability to attract talent.
The agreement has an important strategic value since Europe is substantially devoid of virgin carbon fiber production. Therefore, the development of supply chains capable of regenerating valuable resources on site will help support the process of industrial self-sufficiency of the Old Continent.
The Aerostructures Division of Leonardo will confer to Herambiente part of the waste fibers deriving from the construction of the components of some of the best-known civil aircraft in the commercial aviation sector. Just to name a few examples, the stabilizer of the ATR turboprop, the fuselage and horizontal stabilizer of the Boeing 787 or, again, the tail planes of the Airbus A220.
In the innovative plant under construction in Imola (BO), Herambiente will apply pyrogasification to these wastes and, through a hot technology, the resins of the composite materials (which are gasified) are separated from the carbon fibres. This process, developed with the collaboration of the Department of Industrial Chemistry of the University of Bologna and Curti SpA of Castelbolognese (RA), will be able to regenerate new fiber with performances comparable to new ones, also thanks to the studies carried out by Leonardo on theme.
DEEPENING
Il Hera Group is one of the largest Italian multi-utilities and operates in the environment, energy and water sectors, with more than 9.000 employees, committed every day to responding to the multiple needs of approximately 5 million citizens located mainly in Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Marche, Tuscany and Abruzzo. Listed since 2003, it is among the top 40 Italian companies by capitalization (it is part of the Ftse Mib index) and since 2020 it has entered the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, World and Europe. The subsidiary Herambiente is the main operator in the waste treatment sector: with around a hundred certified and cutting-edge plants, over 1.600 specialized operators and a dedicated commercial structure, it operates on the national and international market, representing a European reference benchmark. For further information: www.gruppohera.it – www.herambiente.it
Leonardo is a leading global Aerospace, Defense and Security (AD&S) industrial company. With 51 employees worldwide, it is active in the Helicopters, Electronics, Aircraft, Cyber & Security and Space sectors, and is a partner of the most important international programs in the sector such as Eurofighter, NH-90, FREMM, GCAP and Eurodrone. Leonardo has significant production capacities in Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland, the USA and Israel, operating through subsidiaries, joint ventures and equity investments, including Leonardo DRS (80,9%), MBDA (25%), ATR (50%) , Hensoldt (25,1%), Telespazio (67%), Thales Alenia Space (33%) and Avio (29,6%). Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (LDO), in 2022 Leonardo recorded new orders of 17,3 billion euros, with an order book of 37,5 billion euros and consolidated revenues of 14,7 billion euros. Included in the MIB ESG index, the company has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) since 2010.
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