A True Wienermobile?

Prepared Foods, March, 2001

General Motors Corp. is teaming with Hormel Foods Corp. to use pork and turkey byproducts to help manufacture automobile parts. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Hormel will supply General Motors with a binding agent made from the animal protein collagen.

According to Joel Johnson, president, chairman and chief executive officer at Hormel, the binding agent will be used to form sand molds used for casting metal parts. Known as GMBond, the collagen binder helps reduce costs in manufacturing metal parts, says Richard Schreck, principle research scientist with General Motors.

Toxic chemicals had been used to bind the sand and form the molds, Johnson said. The sand is not recyclable and therefore presents a "severe pollution problem." GMBond represents an alternative to the chemicals, and Schreck notes General Motors' larger casting suppliers may use the GM Bond approach.