Kuwait,19 September 2007. Famous for its movie star appeal and quality performance, the MINI is one of the most highly sought after cars available in Kuwait. From its creation in the late 1959, the MINI has taken an innovative approach to addressing consumer interests.
In the 1950s, designer Alec Issigonis was charged with designing a car that would seat four, use an existing engine and be smaller and more fuel efficient than anything else the corporation currently made. Today's savvy consumers have environmental concerns that are greater than just fuel efficiency. The "three Rs" - reuse, reduce, and recycle - are the buzzwords and again, MINI has risen to the challenge.
To ensure the optimum recycling quota for the materials used in the construction of the MINI, emphasis is placed on recyclable-friendly construction of all components at a very early stage of development. Specialists ensured that hazardous materials were excluded from all MINI parts and components. Design engineers are supported by specially developed standards as well as a guide for recycling-friendly vehicle construction. The strategic use of recyclates for component production reduced both the amount of resources required to build the car and the strain on landfills.
Whilst environmentally-friendly recycling processes already existed for metal components, MINI specialists also developed more environmentally-friendly recycling processes, particularly for the ever-increasing number of plastic parts. Now, 10% of all plastic parts used in the MINI are made up of recyclates.
During the MINI building process, many products can be re-tooled and reused as originally intended. In addition, they can also be recycled into something totally unexpected. Following dismantling, the parts of the MINI body are sorted and labelled to be used in anything from energy production to metallurgical processes to use in a MINI of the future. For example, MINI glass from the front and rear windscreens as well as the windows of scrapped MINI is sent to sheet-glass recycling plants. There, the old glass is recycled into a number of products, possibly even a future MINI windscreen.
Many other MINI components are also recycled. Batteries, which can create an environmental hazard if not disposed of properly, are melted down for reuse in the lead-processing industry. Similarly, alloy wheels are also melted down to create secondary aluminium.
"The MINI brand has been around for years. People who purchase MINIs tend to have not only a flare for life but also a genuine interest in the environment. Right from the outset the MINI is designed for optimum product reusability, which places it on the top of the environmentally-friendly cars list," said Yousef Al Qatami, General Manager, Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive Co, Kuwait's exclusive BMW, MINI and Rolls Royce importer in Kuwait.
-Ends-
For questions please contact:
Antoine Nassar,
Public Relations Manager,
Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive Co.
Telephone: + 965 224 - 6000
Fax: +965 244 - 6139
E-mail: Antoine.Nassar@aas.com.kw
Internet: www.aas.com.kw
Amina Al Jarery,
Action Kuwait
Telephone: +965 563 - 6863
Fax: +965 563 - 5953
E-mail: Amina.j@actionprgroup.com
© Press Release 2007
