Inside an innovative recycling and dismantling centre

THE end of a vehicle's life isn't a pretty sight. Metal groans, glass shatters, and an excavator tears into what was once the beating heart of a BMW. In a few minutes, the car is reduced to a pile of parts, stripped of its valuable materials.

- WILLEM VAN DE PUTTE

OVER the past 30 years, more than 120 000 vehicles have been processed at BMW's Recycling and Dismantling Centre near Munich.

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But this violent-sounding process marks the beginning of the rebirth of resources.

At BMW's Recycling and Dismantling Centre (RDC) in Unterschleissheim, near Munich, sustainability takes on a new form.

Since 1994, the complex has been the centre of innovation, dedicated to rethinking what happens when a car reaches the end of its life.

What began as a modest facility to dismantle pre-series and test vehicles has evolved into a global centre of excellence for circularity, the idea that nothing should go to waste.

Daniel Koschade, BMW's Head of Circular Economy Network and Requirements, describes the RDC as "a vital link between early-stage development and real customer needs"

He explains that the team's mission isn't just to recycle vehicles, but to close the loop - ensuring materials find their way back into new cars.

"We recycle around 6 000 cars a year here, with capacity for up to 10000," says Koschade. "We know our customers, and we know our vehicles. We follow the entire life cycle - from when we sell a car to when it comes back - and then we feed what we learn back into development."

This philosophy is captured in three simple words: Relax, we care. It's a promise that extends beyond customer service to environmental responsibility. "Sustainability is no longer a trend,"

Koschade says. "It's a responsibility - one we live day by day."

For BMW, circularity isn't about ticking a regulatory box. "In the past, we treated end-of-life components as waste," Koschade says. "Now we view them as valuable resources."