ABB has made its first Spanish manufacturing site carbon-neutral in day-to-day operations, marking a milestone in the Swiss group’s push to decarbonise its global industrial footprint.
The company said its factory in Oiartzun, in Spain’s Basque region, has become the first ABB site in the country to reach zero operational emissions under its Mission to Zero programme. The 110-year-old plant produces wiring accessories and smart home technologies used to improve energy efficiency, safety, and comfort in residential buildings.
Since 2019, the site has cut overall energy consumption by 42%, according to the company, following a multi-year investment programme focused on electrification, automation, and digital energy management. Fossil fuels have been fully eliminated, with the factory now running entirely on renewable electricity generated on site and sourced from certified suppliers.
More than 580 kWp of photovoltaic capacity has been installed at the facility, alongside heat recovery systems and high-efficiency upgrades to production processes. ABB said its own building automation and energy management technologies are used to optimise lighting, heating, and power distribution, while real-time monitoring through its digital eLink platform allows managers to track consumption and identify further efficiency gains. Electric vehicle charging infrastructure has also been added as part of the transition.
Mike Mustapha, President, ABB Electrification’s Smart Buildings Division, said the Oiartzun site illustrated how industrial decarbonisation could be achieved through a combination of electrification, digital tools, and circular design. He added that the company aimed to use the site as a reference point for customers seeking to reduce their own operational emissions.
Beyond energy and emissions, the factory has adopted a broader sustainability agenda. It is certified to ISO 50001 for energy management and has achieved Zero Waste to Landfill status. All products manufactured at the site fall under ABB’s EcoSolutions framework, which applies lifecycle-based environmental criteria to product design and verification.
Recent wiring accessories developed at Oiartzun use up to 95% recycled materials in painted finishes and feature fully recyclable switch inserts, reflecting a shift towards circular manufacturing principles. The factory also works with technology centres, suppliers, and circular-economy networks to align production methods with evolving regulatory and market requirements.
ABB said employee-led initiatives form part of the site’s sustainability approach, including local community projects under the Aukerak Sortzen programme, which supports social activities ranging from environmental clean-ups to initiatives promoting local culture and language.
The Spanish facility joins a growing list of ABB Mission to Zero sites across Europe, Asia, and North America, as the group seeks to position electrification and automation as central tools in the transition to lower-carbon industrial operations.
