Ford (F) has partnered up with McDonald’s (MCD) to begin offering a caffeine-infused approach to car parts. The two companies are joining forces to create car parts directly from coffee beans.

To develop these car parts, Ford and McDonald’s are utilizing the coffee chaff or dried skin of the coffee bean. Because this chaff comes off the bean naturally during the roasting process, it allows Ford to convert it into a “durable material” that can be used to form car components.

The process of converting the coffee chaff uses both high-temperature heat, under low oxygen, and a mixture of plastic and other material alternatives. This creates a pellet, which can then be molded into different shapes for use in auto components such as headlamp housings as well as other interior and under the hood parts.

According to Ford, the newly created chaff composite meets quality specifications and also becomes 20% lighter as well as using 25% less energy to develop.

The partnership with McDonald’s marks Ford foray into the coffee bean chaff-made car part sector, which the fast-food chain is expected to supply a significant portion of its coffee chaff waste to the automaker. Both companies are looking to improve their overall environmental footprint through recycled, renewable, and green-resourced materials, marking a partnership that works for both companies.

“McDonald’s commitment to innovation was impressive to us and matched our own forward-thinking vision and action for sustainability,” Debbie Mielewski, Ford senior technical leader, sustainability and emerging materials research team said.

“This has been a priority for Ford for over 20 years, and this is an example of jump starting the closed-loop economy, where different industries work together and exchange materials that otherwise would be side or waste products,” she added.

Shares of Ford stock were up 1.07% as of 1:53 p.m. EST on Wednesday while shares of McDonald's stock were up 0.39% at the same time.

McDonald's
A classical singer was enjoying a McChicken sandwich at a McDonald’s outlet in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Monday when she discovered a dead spider in her food. In this photo illustration, a McChicken sandwich sits with typical Dollar Menu items sold at a McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, October 24, 2013. Getty Images/ Scott Olson
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