Design for circularity: when old washing machines find a new purpose
What if yesterday’s washing machine could become tomorrow’s designer item? At V-ZUG, we believe that good design doesn’t end with a product’s first life. With our Repurpose products, we explore how circular thinking can shape the future – transforming components from decommissioned washing machines into timeless pieces of furniture.
We don‘t see sustainability as a trend, we see it as a necessity – and not just since yesterday. In our activities, we strive for a balance between the economical and ecological dimension and our social responsibility.
Materials for a circular economy: building sustainability step by step
V-ZUG is committed to reducing its environmental footprint by enhancing component recyclability. The 2024 "Materials for a Circular Economy" project focuses on eco-friendly materials and improved recycling. Initiatives like green steel and recyclable plastics highlight V-ZUG's dedication to sustainable production.
"Head – heart – hand": Our path towards greater inclusion and diversity
V-ZUG embraces diverse backgrounds, traditions, and a mix of generations and genders, fostering an inclusive environment. Despite industrial challenges in female representation, V-ZUG's "Head – heart – hand" concept aims to achieve ambitious inclusion and diversity goals by 2030.
A workplace with a vision: Our latest and most modern production building, Zephyr Ost
Our site in Zug evolves with the completion of the "Zephyr Ost" building in early 2024. This facility blends manufacturing, assembly, office, and recreational spaces across five floors, enhancing efficiency and sustainability with features like an automated pallet warehouse and a photovoltaic system.
Design for circularity: when old washing machines find a new purpose
What if yesterday’s washing machine could become tomorrow’s designer item? At V-ZUG, we believe that good design doesn’t end with a product’s first life. With our Repurpose products, we explore how circular thinking can shape the future – transforming components from decommissioned washing machines into timeless pieces of furniture.
V-ZUG is committed to a fully circular economy, using resources efficiently and sustainably. Through the "Circulus" project, V-ZUG collaborates with industry and academia to develop solutions for refurbishing appliances, reusing components, and optimizing recycling, supporting net zero targets by 2050.
By turning our focus to closing the material loop while minimising transportation costs and emissions, we have developed a strategy to reuse the materials found in our products – like the grey cast iron used to build our washing machines. We are working with partners such as Georg UTZ AG to engineer new, sustainable business models that serve as stepping stones on the path towards creating a truly circular economy.
The environment and healthy eating are two key areas we focus on when it comes to our customers. This is why we released our V-Kitchen app. Offering plenty of tasty, sustainable recipes and fun facts, we help our users to be mindful about what they consume and prepare more varied dishes at home.
The introduction of a mobility concept and smart work principles for V-ZUG’s employees has significantly reduced private motorised transport to and from the V-ZUG site. Measures taken include levying a mobility charge and parking space fees, reducing on-site hours, and promoting flexible, environmentally friendly conduct with regard to mobility.
Sustainability is a topic that is relevant across our entire value chain – and packaging is no exception. V-ZUG strives to keep as much of its packaging material in circulation as possible, and this applies to cardboard waste in particular. We found an innovative solution for this together with Model, a company based in Switzerland.
V-ZUG’s premises are changing. The new “Zephyr Ost” building will result in more production space, offices and recreation areas. The unique selling point? As it stands, “Zephyr Ost” is the largest construction project in Switzerland to use more climate-friendly concrete.
In the autumn of the reporting year, the time had finally come: V-ZUG took receipt not only of five more fully electric service vehicles, but also of its first electric lorry. The gradual electrification of our company fleet, which covers almost six million kilometres every year, is an important element of our sustainability strategy. This is because electromobility is a key factor in our journey towards our goal of achieving an 80% reduction in our direct emissions by 2030.
Use over ownership: a new model for a more efficient circular economy
Moving forward, we want to be responsible for the use of our devices across their entire
service life. This is the only way we can be certain that the materials in these devices
remain in circulation for as long as possible and that we are being mindful in our use of raw materials.
Following a successful pilot phase, we have since launched our V-ZUG Product as a Service business model.
The transformation toward a circular economy entails enormous changes. What does that mean for our company specifically? Our “circular economy factory” pilot project shows how V-ZUG will in future not just manufacture new household appliances, but also take back previously delivered appliances and repair them or completely dismantle and restore them.
In global terms, we are not a big player when it comes to the procurement of steel and precious metals. Nevertheless, we believe that we can contribute to making the steel industry more environmentally friendly. How? Through partnerships.
Appliances receive a new lease of life for a good cause
As a rule, if an appliance is faulty and can no longer be sold, it will be professionally recycled. An alternative solution has now been developed as part of the V-ZUG Talent Project, which is held every two years. In future, appliances returned to V-ZUG will be repaired and donated to non-profit organisations.
The health and well-being of our employees is always our top priority, which is why we take a sustainable approach to promoting health in the workplace.
At the heart of V-ZUG lies ZUGgate, the home of the Multi Energy Hub, a collaboration between Tech Cluster Zug AG and WWZ AG. This state-of-the-art energy system integrates renewable sources such as photovoltaics, groundwater and lake water with process heat from local operations and promises a CO₂-neutral future for the site and the neighbourhood.
