Sustainable Advancements in the Football Stadium: Bundesliga Club uses recycled stadium seats from GIWA

The Bundesliga football club from Leipzig is exemplifying environmental protection and sustainability. In 2023, they completed a significant project underscoring their commitment to ecological responsibility. A total of 30,000 innovative stadium seats, made from up to 90 percent recycled plastic, were installed. Esteemed experts, including those from GIWA, collaborated on this endeavour. The initiative's roots trace back 20 years to the plastics expertise of GIWA.

Revisiting a GIWA Milestone:

For many of GIWA's longstanding employees, a unique project from the early 2000s remains memorable. The Westendorf firm received a substantial order from Leipzig in preparation for the 2006 World Cup. The Saxon city chose to demolish what was then called the "Central Stadium" to make way for a contemporary football arena, accommodating nearly 45,000 fans.

GIWA was tasked with producing and installing high-quality plastic stadium seats. The GIWA team worked relentlessly to ensure timely delivery, distribution, and assembly for the 2004 opening.

Sustainable Future: Arena Modernisation:

Fast-forward two decades to 2022, and the arena was due for a renovation. The once Central Stadium, now dubbed the "Red Bull Arena", required modernisation, including new seating. The focus wasn’t just on design and comfort, but also sustainability. The aim was for the 30,000 seat shells to be crafted from recycled materials. A solution was devised in collaboration with a stadium seating specialist and two other partners. Four leading companies collectively developed a method to design, produce, and install the new seat shells in Leipzig's stadium in an eco-friendly and CO2-efficient manner—meeting the club's vision for the next-generation stadium seats.

Green Initiative for Red Seat Shells:

Daniel Sieberer, GIWA's Managing Director and owner, commented enthusiastically, "Leipzig's club management's vision greatly appealed to us. The thought of enabling tens of thousands of fans to support their team ecologically fills me with pride." Approximately 30,000 seats were updated in the arena without interrupting match operations. This stadium upgrade ticks all the boxes for identity and sustainability. The seats, reflecting the club's colours, not only boost the arena's aesthetic appeal but also, by using up to 90 percent recycled materials, significantly benefit the environment.

 

(Photo: S. Mellar / Getty Images)

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