Packaging and protective materials 

The Group has also reduced the environmental impact of its logistics activities by minimizing the use of packaging and protective materials, while maintaining standards and satisfying quality requirements.

In 2010, through the Group company i-FAST Container Logistics S.p.A., which is also responsible for efficient management of standard shipment containers, Fiat continued to work with its suppliers to gradually replace disposable cardboard packaging with reusable containers.

For shipments within Europe, Fiat Group Automobiles (FGA) achieved more than a 6% reduction in these materials over the previous year (from 6.4 to 6.0 kg/vehicle). The slight divergence from target (5.9 kg/vehicle) was mainly due to variations in production volumes associated with new model launches at some plants and a reduction in production levels at other plants. Going forward, Fiat will maintain the commitment to reducing disposable cardboard packaging by eliminating it for materials supplies for new models, where possible, and by negotiating the best terms with suppliers for changes in packaging for existing models. On that basis, the Group is targeting a further 5% reduction in materials used (to 5.7 kg/vehicle) in 2011.

With regard to specific containers for international shipments of materials from Italy managed by the World Material Flow (WMF) unit, the Group is committed to progressively reducing wood packaging, even though replacement with metal crates or specially-equipped containers requires considerable investment and is conditioned by fluctuations in activity volumes.

In 2010, FGA also continued its activities in this area, completing the replacement of wood packaging with reusable metal packaging for inbound flows to the plant in Kragujevac (Serbia), resulting in a reduction of over 70% in the use of wood (from 15.3 to 4.5 kg/m³). With the initiative now fully implemented, the Sector expects to achieve an annual average of 1.5 kg/m3 in 2011. This solution will be progressively extended in 2011 to inbound flows to Brazil, with a targeted 5% reduction in the use of wood packaging (from 15.6 to 14.8 kg/m³). The Group is continuously seeking solutions to minimize the quantity of disposable packaging and, where this is not possible, it ensures that standard recovery processes are applied.