Moving with purpose: electric forklifts and solar energy in Germany

At production facilities in Germany, one example is the transition from diesel-powered forklifts to electric ones, combined with increased use of renewable energy where conditions allow.

Most of our carbon footprint, around 70%, comes from the steel we buy. That is the big challenge, and it will take time and collaboration to address.

But a meaningful share of our emissions comes from our own operations. The energy we use in manufacturing, the fuel in our equipment. We have committed to reducing emissions from our own operations by 60% by 2034, a target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.

Across the Group, operational teams are identifying practical opportunities to reduce emissions from our own operations. At two production facilities in Germany, that includes phasing out diesel-powered forklifts and replacing them with electric ones.

Watch the video to see how electric forklifts are being integrated into daily operations at production facilities in Germany.

These forklifts are part of the daily operation at the facilities, moving materials and supporting production throughout the day. In a typical shift, they run continuously. On diesel, that meant emissions, exhaust fumes and noise inside the production halls.

The electric forklifts do the same job without combustion. No exhaust fumes in the hall. Noticeably less noise for the people working alongside them. And a direct reduction in emissions from our own operations.

At some of these facilities, solar panels have also been installed, meaning that a portion of the electricity used to charge the forklifts comes from on-site renewable energy generation. It is a practical example of how different decarbonisation levers can work together in daily operations: cleaner equipment combined with more renewable energy use.

We are taking a phased approach to the transition. Not all forklifts are replaced at once. As diesel units reach the end of their operational life, they are replaced with electric alternatives. This keeps the investment manageable and allows teams to adapt gradually. It is not a dramatic overhaul. It is a structured shift, integrated into normal equipment renewal cycles.

Like several operational changes already underway across the Group, the operational and commercial logic supports it. Electric forklifts can reduce operating costs over time, lower maintenance needs, improve energy efficiency and create a better working environment.

When operational teams identify changes that reduce emissions, improve the working environment and create long-term operational value, those are the kinds of decisions we want to make more of across the Group.

Not every transition decision will be this straightforward. But across the Group, operational teams are identifying opportunities where emissions reductions, operational improvements and long-term cost efficiency align.