9T Labs AG, experts in digital, automated and cost-competitive serial production of continuous fiber components, has released its first ever Sustainability Report that highlights and solidifies the company’s central commitments to its stakeholders, innovation and the environment.
The radical and measurable actions and goals in this inaugural report highlight cutting edge innovation at 9T Labs that helps to reduce the costs and environmental impact of manufacturing structural parts for the aerospace, mobility, leisure and luxury industries. The report outlines how 9T Labs is enabling mobility original equipment manufacturers to develop climate-neutral products through a new design and manufacturing standard. Compared to traditional manufacturing methods, this standard results in strong parts at the lightest weight, a lower cost, and with zero waste.
Highlights from 9T Labs’ 2023 Sustainability Report:
- Significant measurable impacts directly connected to the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) identified by environmental, social and corporate governance principles (ESGs).
- Stakeholder Sustainability Survey results with high response rate and engagement that identify four sustainability priorities for 9T Labs:
- Responsible Consumption and Production
- Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Climate Action
- Global megatrends in composite manufacturing related to thermoplastic composites, digitization and sustainability and how they relate to 9T Labs’ ongoing work and innovation.
- Case studies backed by simplified life cycle assessments (LCAs) outlining current successes and future opportunities.
Alongside the real and measurable environmental goals and benefits detailed in this report, 9T Labs also outlines social and corporate governance principles. These principles were developed with stakeholder input to hold the company accountable to the spirit of innovation that has served it so well to date and position it to respond to forces in the marketplace to the benefit of its stakeholders, the industry at large, and the world around it.
Achieving Sustainability Through Collaboration
What is good for the environment can also be good for the bottom line; 9T Labs’ Additive Fusion Technology (AFT)™ process can deliver a large lifetime savings when applied to various parts on a vehicle. This requires collaboration, which is critical to sustainability success at 9T Labs. 9T Labs’ partnership with the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland took a closer look at two use cases (page 22 of the report): a motorbike rear suspension rocker link and an aerospace overhead bin pin bracket. For both use cases, a simplified LCA was performed and the parts were produced using different material choices. The LCA focused on the material feedstock and the production of the part, and for the pin bracket, the savings during the lifetime of the part were also considered. The results clearly showed a huge potential for further CO2savings. Also, the use of recycled materials, which drives circularity, can preserve good mechanical characteristics to meet the most demanding part requirements and have a significantly lower environmental impact.
“Our mission to establish 9T Labs’ technology as the design and manufacturing standard for high performance parts with minimal impact on the world’s resources, anchors sustainability at the core of what we do,” says Martin Eichenhofer, CEO and co-founder, 9T Labs. “Through continuous innovation and successful external collaboration, 9T Labs is committed to supporting industry and global efforts to achieve true carbon neutrality and circularity.”
www.9tlabs.com/events/sustainability-report