#07 What a 5,000-year-old industry can teach us about the circular economy and resource efficiency
This episode was recorded in German.
Christian Underwood in conversation with Max Schumacher, attorney and Chief Executive of the German Foundry Association (BDG)
In this episode, we talk with Max Schumacher about how to steer a 5,000-year-old industry toward a sustainable future, why foundries count as pioneers of the circular economy, and why the energy transition depends on castings from Germany's roughly 600 mostly mid-sized foundries.Since the climate debate began, public acceptance of energy-intensive industries has fallen further, and the "license to operate" was at risk of expiring, for the foundry industry too. Yet the circular economy and resource efficiency through innovative processes have always been central here. That's why the BDG launched a comprehensive strategic future program: it wants to keep working with the roughly 600 largely mid-sized foundries on a sustainable future and open up a public dialogue.How an association pulls off a feat like this, even during the pandemic and massive drops in revenue, is what you'll hear in our new HIKS episode, "Back to the Future."