Innovation

In 2017, when talking about the circular economy focused on issues of bottles and cans, FEMSA understood the idea and made it their own in the sense that this concept could not only be applied to the packaging issue, but that it could also have some other alternatives such as the refrigerator and that is how the initiative to create the EOS Repair plant began, which was designed exclusively for the recycling of refrigerators, thus, once the refrigerator reaches the end of its useful life, it is sent to this plant and 99% of the material contained in the refrigerator material is reused or recycled.

Launched in March 2019, EOS REPARE already reports the destruction and processing of 16,815 refrigerators that were disassembled so that their parts and materials could be reused or recycled. In this way, 1,631 tons of waste were disposed of in a sustainable way, which represents 97% of all the materials that make up a cooler. In addition to this recycling practice, a type of material is being used that affects the environment to a lesser degree, so it can be understood that the process is starting from its manufacture to the final life of this product and see the possibility that 90% of all manufacturing material can be recycled.

Continually striving so that all production and operation processes generate the least possible environmental impact, they are the only company in the industry with the design of products that promote the circular economy and by 2023, 85% of its components will be able to be reused for a second life in new refrigerators.

Inspiration

Aligned to Femsa sustanability main goal, stated in their 2019 inform, of having zero operations material waste poured into landfills, EOS REPARE initiative was developed following the impulse of ideas that its strategic business Imbera had been performing from years back.

Imbera, the fridges and coolers manufacturer, was well-known for its remarkable work designing and improving the processes for this type of goods. But having the spirit of circular economy deeply installed across the organization, led to push EOS REPARE initiative in practice. In this manner, the company was now being able to take the coolers path one step beyond, and evolving it into a closed loop, because the designs of the products were taking in consideration the energetic efficiency, feasibility to recycle them and the ease to separate their components, then include fabrication processes that used proper gases with low impact into CO2 emissions, and finally establishing a robust process -now transformed into a complete operation and facility- dedicated to return 99% of the cooler composition to a new use or ready to be recycled.

Overall impact

The main objective is to ensure that refrigeration equipment has a final disposal, in which each of its components can be recovered, recycled, reintegrated for later use in other equipment, or destroyed in an environmentally responsible way. Currently, the EOS REPARE Plant in San Juan del Río can receive 2,600 chillers per month to be dismantled, but if its full capacity is used, that is, it works in three shifts, it could process up to 75,000 pieces of equipment in one year.

The EOS REPARE plant represents another service for its customers, with which they can have a refrigeration equipment at the end of its useful life in the most responsible and formal way. In addition, with this they are added to the efforts in favor of the care of the environment. 99% of the components of the refrigerators are processed for recycling or repair (1% corresponds to a material that is located between the doors of the equipment and the body, functioning as a sealing package and its separation is difficult due to contain adhesive), and it should be clarified that there are already ideas in process to be developed to be able to contemplate this last fraction as part of the cycle of use.

The corporate goal that FEMSA has set for 2030 is to have zero waste from the operation that goes to the sanitary landfill. This, as part of the sustainability strategy proposed by FEMSA.

Business benefit

The REPARE EOS plant, with an investment of 20 million pesos in its first phase, is one of the most modern centers of its kind in Latin America with 3,000 m2 of surface, and has an annual disposal capacity of 70 thousand equipment per year. year, contributed more than 100 direct and indirect jobs. Currently REPARE has 43 Service Centers in the country, more than 1,800 employees, serves about 1.5 million chillers and provides more than 75,000 monthly services nationwide.

During 2020, OXXO managed to recycle more than 1,000 tons of equipment and furniture and 1,943 recycled equipment from their pharmacies.

REPARE provides maintenance and installation services for all Imbera equipment in the country, and recently integrated the services of TORREY refrigeration equipment.

Likewise, it provides service to various clients in the industry and to the more than 800 thousand refrigerators that Coca-Cola FEMSA has in the market today. For OXXO, it is the largest comprehensive maintenance service provider, operating in almost 4 thousand of its stores.

The EOS Repair plant operates independently and self-sufficiently, FEMSA does not need to invest in capital for the operation of the business itself, it is a business that subsists thanks to its own income from the operation, and the main benefit for FEMSA is to be able to recover, repair and recycle parts for later use in other equipment or destroyed in a responsible manner.

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Social and environmental benefit

The corporate goal that FEMSA has set for 2030 is to have zero waste from the operation that goes to the sanitary landfill. This, as part of the sustainability strategy proposed by FEMSA, they have been with other initiatives for a long time, which may seem small, but it all adds up, an example is in the same refrigerators that come with an instruction manual and that manual is made with material recycling; all these are small granites that achieve a second use of the material for which it was first designed and all the granites add up. These types of projects are only achieved through synergy and collaboration between companies, since a company in complete isolation cannot achieve it.

The transition to the circular economy is important for the preservation and protection of our planet's natural resources, at the same time that it contributes to the success and continuity of FEMSA's Business Units.

FEMSA is a company that generates economic and social value through companies and institutions and seeks to be the best employer and neighbor of the communities where it is present.

Interviews

Gabriel Adrian Gonzalez Ayala, Gerente Sostenibilidad

Octavio Salinas De La Peña, Jefe Gestión y Cumplimiento