circular

We are rethinking and redesigning for a resource-smart customer experience

The circular opportunity combines our passion for circularity with our innovation capabilities. It helps us better understand and launch ideas that help the Group and our customers use fewer non-renewable materials and resources to get the job done. In short, a circular approach loops the customer’s end-to-end journey and brings resource-lean thinking to the heart of delivering value.

50

-

Target to launch 50 circular innovations by 2025

  • 33
  • *

Innovations approved so far

* per 30th of September 2024

The 5 R's of circularity

Within our Circular target, we evaluate innovations based on the sustainability value the circular improvements deliver - the 5 R’s - as well as the novelty of the value proposition and their business potential. These benefits may not be made at the expense of other material sustainability aspects. For innovations to be nominated as relevant to the target, they need to have proof of concept with a paying customer.

For us, a circular innovation is a great idea that reduces the need to extract materials, closes loops in our economy, and keeps products and materials in use.

 

  • Reduce
  • Reuse
  • Repair
  • Remanufacture
  • Recycle

How we deliver on the target

Our target addresses resource impacts across our value chain, from suppliers and operations to product use and end-of-life. Finding ways to integrate concepts into existing business processes and securing the right competence are central to realizing this opportunity. Each division engages its organization to identify candidates for the target. Group-wide activities and tools to support divisions include:

  • Defining criteria and governance structure on the scope of circular innovations
  • Third party, high-level sustainability assessments for each candidate
  • Group-wide initiatives that build partnerships for innovation.

What role does the circular target play?

The path to bringing circularity into our core business will be a long one. This target paves the way to integration by highlighting great examples and we’ll benefit by being wiser and better prepared for the next level of integration.

Sara Tollin
Head of Circular Target

Sustainovate in action

EcoLine
Re-tipping
ReSpare
Lease Plus

EcoLine

Made with recycled materials

Watering products and hand-held tools from the new Gardena EcoLine range are the natural choice for passionate gardeners. They are made with recycled materials without compromising on quality, high durability, attractive design and ultimate ease of use. The plastic components of each product consist of at least 65% recycled material, most of which are made up of household waste, such as films or packaging – also known as post-consumer recycled materials. The GARDENA EcoLine has been awarded the German Sustainability Award Design 2022 in the "Vision" category.
 
A recent addition to the range is the new Gardena EcoLine hose made with 65% recycled Thermo Plastic Elastomer (TPE), the rest will comprise of synthetic rubber and yarn. Mostly sourced from household waste, the TPE is also free of phthalates and other harmful substances. EcoLine hoses maintain the same quality, lifetime and design as traditional hoses and have a 30-year warranty.

Re-tipping

Extend tool life, reduce waste

Strengthening our offering in the re-tipping of core drills. In core drilling equipment, the diamond tools naturally experience wear and occasional breakage over extended usage. Re-tipping is the remanufacturing of core drills where new segments are brazed onto the old drill tube, extending the product’s lifetime and enabling cost efficiency while reducing waste.

ReSpare

Husqvarna Forest & Garden customers want robust, reliable products that can be used season after season. By working with servicing dealers, we can stretch the life of frequently used machines such as tillers, chainsaws and brush cutters by making used and old parts available to more customers.

ReSpare is an online platform, currently free of charge, that allows dealers to tap into parts at fellow dealers in their market to get necessary parts to service technicians that need them. In South Africa, the platform is also used to trade used machines. ReSpare has been piloted in South Africa, Poland, and Brazil.

The pilot - with over 60 dealers taking part - shows a win-win-win for all partners. The dealer earns income by rotating parts that are sitting in storage. The servicing dealer can meet client needs better. Customers can extend the life of their machines at lower cost.

Lease Plus

A new lease on life

Lease Plus is our latest reuse and repair solution for lawn care. Across nine countries in Northern Europe, Husqvarna provides robotic lawn mowers to consumers for a three or five year leasing period where we maintain and store the machines when not in use.

After the leasing period has expired, the robotic lawn mowers return to the retailer and are sold as a used product to a new customer. Rough estimates point a prolonged lifetime of about 25-50%.