Toyota Motor Europe (TME) has announced the launch of its first Toyota Circular Factory (TCF), a facility dedicated to processing end-of-life vehicles through recycling, repurposing, and remanufacturing. The initiative marks a significant step in Toyota’s broader sustainability efforts aimed at achieving carbon neutrality.
The inaugural TCF will be established at Toyota Manufacturing UK’s Burnaston plant in Derbyshire, with operations scheduled to commence in the third quarter of this year. The facility is designed to serve as a centre of excellence for future recycling processes across Europe and other global markets.
The primary objective of the TCF is to extract reusable components from decommissioned vehicles, remanufacture essential parts, and recycle raw materials. Reusable parts will be thoroughly inspected and validated before being reintroduced into the market through Toyota’s retail and distribution network. Commodity items such as batteries and wheels will be evaluated for potential remanufacturing, repurposing, or recycling, depending on their condition and viability. Additionally, raw materials including copper, aluminium, steel, and plastic will be recovered and processed to reduce reliance on virgin resources in new vehicle production.