UniversalImpact 800 Closed Loop Edition pilot project

A smiling man holds a green Bosch UniversalImpact 800 impact drill directly towards the camera. In the blurry background, a modern office is visible.

Imagine a world where power tools get a second life instead of ending up in landfills. For a long time, this vision remained an ambitious goal. But at countless recycling centers, where decommissioned devices meet their end, lies an untapped resource: tons of high-quality plastic that, until now, has typically been incinerated rather than recycled and repurposed into new products. Bosch Power Tools has tackled this challenge as part of a pilot project, and with the limited-edition UniversalImpact 800 Closed Loop Edition impact drill, they're proving that a circular economy for power tools isn't just a dream – it's a tangible reality.

Hidden value: why raw materials must not turn to ash

In Germany, a power tool's journey typically ends at a recycling center. There, while metals are carefully recycled, other valuable raw materials often haven't found their way back into the material cycle. Plastics, in particular, are usually incinerated – a significant loss of material value and a missed opportunity to slash emissions. This is where the pilot project from Bosch Power Tools, in collaboration with external partners, came in: the mission was to close this loop by developing a special edition power tool with a housing* largely made from recycled engineering plastic sourced from retired devices. Engineering plastics are specialized plastics known for properties like exceptional durability and resistance. Stronger and longer-lasting than basic plastics, they're commonly found in machinery, vehicles, and electronic equipment.

A drone shot showing a large industrial recycling facility from above. Piles of scrap and waste are scattered across the site, and several vehicles, including trucks and excavators, are visible within the facility. A single person walks on a paved path.

78 % recycled engineering plastic

is contained in the product housing* of the UniversalImpact 800 Closed Loop Edition

The search for clues: data paves the way for recycling

The biggest challenge of the project was ensuring material quality. Power tools require plastics that can withstand both fluctuating thermal stresses and potential impact loads. Conventional recycled materials often cannot meet these requirements or are not available on the market in the required quality and color. The goal of the pilot project was therefore to produce a special edition of the UniversalImpact 800 impact drill, whose housing* consists of the largest possible proportion of recycled plastic from old devices, without compromising on appearance, feel, and the well-known Bosch quality.

A man sits at a wooden table and speaks. He gestures with both hands. He looks to his left at a woman, only visible from behind. To his right, there's a glass container with multiple layers of different colored granules. In the background, a modern office environment with windows is visible. — Thomas Hampel, Project Manager Sustainability at Bosch Power Tools

Before new life could emerge from old housings, a lot of diligent work was initially required. A comprehensive feasibility study formed the foundation. Several thousand decommissioned devices were systematically collected and analyzed to determine the availability and quality of the plastics. Around 6,900 power tools ultimately formed the basis for a database. Each device was completely disassembled and recorded according to different criteria – from the type of tool to its weight and material composition. Over half a million data points were thus collected and evaluated. This scientifically sound analysis ensured that only suitable plastics were selected for the further recycling process.

Manual sorting of power tools to prepare them for the recycling process.
Disassembly of devices in preparation for recycling.
Careful sorting of individual components.

In the feasibility study, we wanted to clarify two central questions: Can material be recovered from old power tools? And can we then reuse it? We were able to clearly answer both questions with a yes.
Thomas Hampel, Project Manager Sustainability at Bosch Power Tools

The transformation: from plastic fragment to high-quality recycled plastic

A woman with short, curly, brown hair, wearing a dark jacket, sits at a wooden table and speaks. She gestures with her hands. Her gaze is directed at someone sitting out of frame. In the blurred background, modern office furniture and large windows are visible. — Anne Purper, Project Manager Circular Economy at Bosch Power Tools

From the identified old devices, the glass fiber-reinforced plastics were sorted out – precisely those materials that are also used in conventional Bosch Power Tools. Now the recycling process for the special edition could begin: The old device housings were shredded into the smallest plastic particles, sorted by color, and meticulously cleaned. Through a special fusion process called compounding, the plastic particles were then processed into high-quality recycled plastic that met the strict quality standards of virgin material. In the final step, this recycled material could be processed into new product housings* on existing Bosch production lines without any modifications. In this way, around 6.5 tons of engineering plastic were recovered.

A close-up of several green drill casings being shredded in an industrial shredder. The robust metal teeth of the shredder break apart the plastic components. — Shredding of discarded plastic housings.

Close-up of gloved hands pouring green plastic granules from a scoop into a large, round container. The container is filled with the same granules. — Collection of the resulting plastic particles.

Close-up of an industrial spool around which multiple green plastic threads are winding. The spool consists of dark, grooved wheels and a metallic axle. — Melting of the plastic particles.

Close-up of green plastic granules in a shallow glass dish, placed on a light green background. — After cutting, homogeneous plastic granulate is produced.

A laboratory setting with two digital scales on a wooden table, weighing green plastic granules. On the left scale, there's a pile of granules, while on the right scale, a glass beaker with granules sits under a protective cover. In the blurred background, an open laptop, a smartphone, and other lab equipment are visible. — Strict quality check of the recycled plastic.

Industrial manufacturing machine molding green plastic drill casings. The machine is made of metal and has multiple mechanical arms and hoses leading to the molded parts. — Production of product housings using the injection molding process.

Close-up of a worker's hands in yellow and white gloves, assembling a green drill casing. The internal components of the drill, including motor parts and wiring, are visible. — Assembly of the UniversalImpact 800 Closed Loop Edition.

Around 6.5 tons of engineering plastic

were recovered as part of this project

The result: quality without compromises

The result of this pioneering work is the UniversalImpact 800 Closed Loop Edition. An impact drill that impresses not only with its performance but also with its origin. A total of around 10,000 units of this special edition were manufactured. The product housing* is made of 78 % recycled plastic, with the remaining proportions accounted for by components such as switches, drill chucks, and soft grips, as they consist of other types of plastic or other colors.

The UniversalImpact 800 Closed Loop Edition is a pioneering example of how a closed loop – from the return of decommissioned power tools to the process of recycling and the use of recyclated plastic in a new product – can be successfully implemented.

Close-up of a man holding a green Bosch UniversalImpact 800 impact drill with a black cord in his hands, inspecting it in front of a light wooden table.

The project addresses several key areas of our sustainability strategy: responsible material use, circularity, and CO₂ reduction.
Anne Purper, Project Manager Circular Economy at Bosch Power Tools

Summary

The UniversalImpact 800 Closed Loop Edition pilot project shows how high-quality products with full performance and quality can be developed from seemingly useless old devices. A first step to close the material loop.

* All externally visible components of the main product excluding cables and accessories.