In an interview with Markus Heseding, Managing Director of VDMA Precision Tools, the discussion focuses on the importance of the circular economy and the Product Carbon Footprint for the precision tool industry. The conversation addresses key challenges and practical solutions for greater sustainability, as well as the role of AMB 2026 as a central platform for industry dialogue.

“Where metal comes alive” – under this new claim, AMB in Stuttgart will open its doors from 15 to 19 September 2026. Across all ten exhibition halls, AMB provides a comprehensive overview of current technologies and brings industry trends such as sustainability, digitalization and automation into sharp practical focus. These trends are made tangible through specific use cases: sustainability is addressed in the context of recycling and the circular economy; in the field of digitalization, the show focuses on artificial intelligence in manufacturing; and collaborative processes serve as a vivid example of modern automation.

We explore one of these topics in a conversation with Markus Heseding, Managing Director of VDMA Precision Tools: the circular economy, carbide supply and the Product Carbon Footprint – and the role of AMB 2026 as the industry meeting place.

Mr Heseding, in your view, what will the sustainability debate in 2026 hinge on, and what are the most important topics for VDMA in the area of recycling?

Sustainability has now become a strategic economic factor. In 2026, the task will be to reconcile ecological responsibility, security of supply and competitiveness. For the precision tool industry, three topics are clearly at the center: the recycling and return of tool packaging, the carbide supply for metalworking industries, and the Product Carbon Footprint as the basis for transparent and comparable CO₂ data.

In the following interview, we would like to focus on the last two points. You have emphasized for some time that every gram of carbide that remains in Europe is a gain. What does it take in concrete terms to keep tungsten in the European loop – and where can industry start?

Global competition for tungsten is increasing – in particular because other industries, such as the defense industry, are also significantly expanding their demand. At the same time, Europe has very few primary tungsten mining projects, and the heavy dependence on supplies from China is risky for us.

This is already leading to noticeable extraordinary cost increases, a lack of price stability, major supply insecurity and no planning reliability whatsoever. This is especially critical because carbide tools are indispensable key components in the metalworking industry – in almost all machining processes.

Against this background, recycling is becoming even more important. European carbide recycling has been an ecological and economic success story for decades. Europe therefore needs resilient supply concepts that combine circular economy, technological innovation and fair industrial partnerships.

That is precisely why it is so crucial to keep tungsten in the European cycle. Carbide scrap is a strategic secondary raw material – every gram that stays in Europe strengthens our industrial sovereignty. We need stronger take-back systems, higher collection rates and uniform quality standards in recycling. Our customers can also make a significant contribution by selling their carbide scrap to European partners. Our motto: “Those who commit to the European cycle remain resilient in terms of tooling technology!”

When it comes to the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF), we see a colorful variety of different approaches and calculations. From your point of view, what is the biggest challenge – and how is VDMA creating a practical solution for the industry here?
The key challenge with the Product Carbon Footprint is that companies have so far been able to calculate it very differently due to a variety of methodologies. This results in PCF values that are neither comparable nor reliable – and therefore hardly usable in the supply chain. That is why we developed the standard sheet VDMA 35111 together with our members. It defines a uniform calculation methodology and clear system boundaries based on the cradle-to-gate approach, i.e., from raw material extraction to the factory gate.

This makes it possible to generate verifiable and consistent data that all companies in the industry can reliably determine on the same basis – transparently and comparably. In addition, we support companies with calculation examples, webinars and practical guidelines for implementation. This turns PCF into a truly strategic instrument – not only for sustainability, but also for competitiveness and customer communication.

How can these three topics – carbide recycling, recycled packaging and CFP – become visible at AMB? Which VDMA initiatives or practical projects will be in focus in 2026?

Many companies showcase their latest developments at AMB – that’s what makes the trade show so exciting. We connect to this at the VDMA Technology Forum, at the VDMA stand in Hall 1. We will show how sustainability, the circular economy and digitalization can be implemented very concretely in the precision tool industry. Digitalization supports these topics through transparent material flows, digital verification and standardized processes along the value chain. Numerous member companies and research partners of VDMA will present their solutions. In addition, we will present – right up to date – the results of our recently completed research project on increasing efficiency in carbide recycling.

To what extent can AMB, as a leading trade fair, accelerate exchange and the development of solutions to the challenges? What role does cross-industry dialogue at AMB and personal exchange play?

One advantage is that AMB brings together the entire process chain of cutting metalworking. The majority of visitors will come from Germany’s industrial heartland. Equally important will be international visitors, who traditionally come in large numbers from Switzerland, Austria and Italy, but also from the Netherlands, France, Sweden, the Czech Republic or Turkey. AMB simply succeeds in combining technological innovation, international reach and the complete process chain of industrial manufacturing.

Especially at a time when the industry is simultaneously under economic, geopolitical and industrial-policy pressure, this exchange is indispensable.

We all hope that AMB will provide important economic impetus. It is a place where companies can evaluate investments in future technologies, experience new applications and position themselves specifically for the next steps in development.

Thank you very much for the conversation.