Magna Seating Vigo: Building a Greener Future

The 6,000 megawatt-hours of electricity used by the division last year were derived from solar, wind and biomass, a readily available plant- or animal-based fuel in this part of Spain. This is the second year in a row that the division achieved the goal of using energy from 100% renewable sources.

Renewable energy can play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fossil-fuel use, the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions. Magna Vigo’s efforts are helping Magna achieve its carbon neutrality goal in European operations by 2025.

“Sustainability begins with awareness of our environment and then progressively making efforts to improve conditions at work and at home,” said Herminio Fernandez, Magna Vigo’s general manager and an operations director for Magna Europe structural products.

Building awareness about sustainability starts with the division’s annual Environment or ECO day. The plant’s 500 employees learn about conserving resources, celebrate the environment and pledge to eliminate wasteful practices, such as using plastic water bottles. In addition, the energy team meets regularly to analyze and test the division’s use of resources and come up with new ways to help protect the planet.

“We have to find the right balance between sustainability and business,” said Fernandez. “Technology is the key.”

The sprawling plant is in the process of testing technology that will further reduce CO2 emissions from natural gas use on the painting line and to clean parts. It is also switching to LED lights throughout the facility. A major step toward conservation came when the division co-founded CEAGA, a consortium of 25 local companies that work together to buy energy at a lower cost.