Austria’s sole battery manufacturer
produces sustainable, environment-friendly starter batteries
Leonding, 23 October 2019. Andreas Bawart, Banner’s Commercial CEO, is at pains to stress that, “As a lead processing company, we bear an especially large responsibility to both humans and the natural world. Therefore, our research and production takes place in accordance with the highest quality standards and environmentally compatible procedures.”
Full power for eco-friendly mobility
Banner is a family-owned company and a founder member of the Starter Battery Environmental Forum (UFS). In this capacity it relies upon a closed product cycle that extends from manufacture to recycling, as well as continual improvements, minimisation and prevention with regard to environmental impact. The heart of the production process is formed by the employment of 98 per cent recycled lead and 80 per cent of battery box material consists of polypropylene recyclate. In addition, since 2015 the company’s entire electricity needs have been supplied by renewable energy sources and 60 per cent of the power employed is used for battery charging. As a result of innovative manufacturing procedures, Banner batteries demonstrate a recycling quota of virtually 100 per cent and for many years the company has invested several million euros annually in environmental protection measures. These include activities aimed at reducing or avoiding emissions and noise, as well as spending on work safety.
Banner batteries have a higher recycling ratio that glass or paper
A well-established recycling system with the highest collection ratio of all the recyclable goods on the market means that Banner’s lead-acid batteries represent a model of resource efficiency and sustainability. Indeed, Banner started to recycle used batteries many years ago and the reprocessed material is then returned to the new product manufacturing chain. Workshops and retailers provide new batteries and in return used batteries are placed in special containers for collection by Banner. Valuable raw materials such as lead, sulphuric acid and polypropylene thus re-enter the production cycle. In concrete terms, during recent years the Starter Battery Environmental Forum (UFS), with Banner Batterien Österreich GmbH as a founder member, has collected more than twenty million used vehicle batteries. These contain the raw materials that include approximately 200,000 t of lead, which is virtually entirely recycled by a specialist Austria company. Consequently, this metal has the highest collection rate of all the recyclable goods on the market and in other words, outstrips glass or paper. Moreover, as a lead processing company, Banner takes its environmental responsibilities extremely seriously and employs treated lead from the recycling process.
Heightened employee safety
For many decades, Banner has accepted an obligation to ensure safety and protect health and the environment. Strict guidelines that are continually modified in line with the latest findings offer optimum safeguards for company employees, neighbours, customers, consumers and nature alike. In line with their assignments, personnel are provided with the appropriate protective equipment and receive comprehensive safety instructions and training. Regular health checks by an occupational physician also serve to ensure danger-free, day-to-day working.
Photo1. The circular Banner recycling system
Photo 2. Andreas Bawart, the Banner GmbH CEO
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