With so many benefits, sustainable manufacturing is becoming more and more important, but it can be taken one step further with these tips.
The importance of sustainable manufacturing cannot be overemphasized because it comes with short- and long-term substantial financial and environmental benefits to companies that integrate it into their business functions.
For this reason, a good number of manufacturers in different industries despite their age and size, have adopted sustainable business practices. After all, in today’s competitive marketplace, where almost every business has Environmental certification, not adopting sustainable practices would mean losing customers, revenue, and success.
That is why businesses are trying to find a number of ways by employing which they can streamline and support their sustainable operations in the best way. This can be from the small to the large, from choosing the best business checking account on this page to buying new efficient machinery for better sustainable production practices.
The adoption is not only limited to small niche companies who claim to be green (sustainability of a particular product or process) but a large and growing number of prominent businesses.
If you’re still wondering why sustainable manufacturing is important, we’ll soon tell you why that is and how these benefits can be taken one step further with the use of efficient compressors.
What Does Sustainable Manufacturing Mean?
Sustainable manufacturing is the creation of manufactured products using economic processes that reduce negative impacts on the environment while bringing about the reduced use of energy, water, and materials and generally, natural resources consumption.
That being the case, this practice seeks to bring about resource productivity especially when consideration is given to the fact that recycled content is promoted by these practices.
In the same vein, green manufacturing can promote the safety of employees, the community, and the product.
How is Sustainable Manufacturing Good for the Industry?
Environmentally-friendly manufacturing is good for the industry because it comes with several benefits.
These advantages have become the reasons why companies are on their toes to implement sustainability and some of these are:
- Build the public’s trust in their brand
- Build long-term business viability and success
- Maintain and strengthen a brand and its reputation
- Respond to regulatory opportunities and constraints
- Increase operational efficiency through the reduction of costs and waste
- Expansion in the reach of customers which could increase competitive advantage
Let’s take a look at some of these:
1. Reduce energy-related costs:
A major concern for manufacturers is energy and water costs and if either of these is reduced, it could help to curb expenses.
For instance, the use of energy-efficient lighting and adjustment of lighting levels depending on the production schedule can help to curb expenses for electricity in the long run.
The use of energy-efficient equipment with solar and wind energy can also greatly impact on your monthly utility bill but in a good way.
Just consider the fact that using solar panels to power the electricity or other basic functions in your factory/warehouse/offices would save you so much money. With manufacturing competition being as high as ever, it’s important for manufacturers to be able to save money wherever they can. Further, a 10kw solar system is so much better for the environment in general than other conventional methods of energy creation.
2. Attract new customers and increase competition:
Improvements in your company can definitely attract customers since they are very conscious of the environment.
They can applaud or criticize a company on social media for their green practices and one way or the other, it could take a toll of the company in question.
On the other hand, if your company is promoted, it can be more marketable and your reputation will be enhanced.
In the end, it can increase sales which strengthens the competition between you and other companies in the same industry.
Making high-quality products using sustainable materials can be an excellent way to keep customers. You’re giving your customers a one-of-a-kind and enjoyable experience, which encourages them to buy from you again. Read this incomeholic article to learn more about customer retention strategies.
3. Tax incentives:
Manufacturers who implement sustainable improvements in their process have several tax incentives that serve as encouragement.
There are a good number of rebates and tax credit in the state and federal levels for these manufacturers.
How Can Companies Further the Path to Sustainability?
Green manufacturing is important and that is why companies of all ages, sizes, and sectors engage in sustainability efforts.
It is possible by reducing their resource footprint and improving performance.
But that’s not all!
By implementing the following, you can take it one step further:
- Focus on long term goals
- Collaborate with external stakeholders
- Implement sustainability throughout business functions
- Move beyond compliance using innovation, scenario planning, and strategic analysis
- More priority is given to increased competitiveness and revenues instead of cost-cutting, risk reduction, and improved efficiency
- Use a coordinated, integrated and formal approach to address sustainability instead of an ad hoc, unconnected and informal manner
How to Improve Your Sustainable Manufacturing
There are several processes that improve sustainable manufacturing and they basically involve:
1. Adopting a Formal Program that can Yield Resource Productivity:
The first step towards becoming sustainable is the adoption of a formal program which could potentially bring about resource productivity.
The foundation of these programs can have elements such as:
- Risk management
- Business excellence framework
- Social responsibility, amongst others
These elements are integrated in a way that makes eco-friendly manufacturing practices a part of the daily operation of the company.
2. Use a Ecoefficient to Operate Manufacturing Processes:
The second step is to operate the manufacturing process in an eco-friendly manner.
Here, consider both the direct and indirect use of resources such as water, energy, materials, etc. and their loss in each activity in the manufacturing process.
This is through the use of supporting facility infrastructure processes such as:
- Compressors
- Air conditioning
- Air and water pollution control equipment
- Chillers
- Heating ventilation
Let’s take a look at compressors and how the use of efficient ones can help in sustainable manufacturing.
What are Compressors?
Compressors are mechanical devices that increase the pressure in air or fluid while reducing its volume.
They are of different types of compressors such as rotary and centrifugal.
Either of these is employed depending on the resulting output that is required and the expenses that can be covered by a company.
How Do Compressors Improve Green Manufacturing?
Compressors can help to improve the environmental sustainability of your company in the following ways:
1. Reduce Waste:
The use of oil-free compressors that have met ISO standards instead of oil-powered compressors in your facility can help to reduce or eliminate waste production.
When there are no harmful emissions, the quality of air in the surrounding is clean and fresh, and that can be beneficial to the health of your staff.
2. Reliability of Performance:
If you’ve employed compressors in your manufacturing process, there is a need to inspect them occasionally which can also be beneficial.
The inspection is to ensure that there are no leaks in the compressor which could lead to energy wastage and increase the expenses for you.
Thus, you can reduce the energy cost in your facility.
3. Schedule Air Compressor Maintenance:
It may be easy to forget to check your compressor frequently and that is why a schedule can help with that.
Therefore, schedule regular maintenance for your air compressor which will ensure that they are always operating at maximum efficiency. It also ensures there are no overtime or production halts when you least expect.
4. Variable Speed Drive:
Variable speed drive (VSD) is a compressor technology that helps to reduce the cost of operation.
Without its use, operators will need to run the compressor’s motor at its full speed until the desired pressure is reached before it is stopped.
However, a VSD regulates the airflow depending on the needs of the compressor.
Conclusion
The importance of sustainable manufacturing are numerous and using efficient compressors in the process can help in providing great service for long years.
All compressors require, is regular servicing and maintenance and their quality will not degrade easily over time.
It is worthy to note that eco-friendly manufacturing is a gradual process that will ensure that while you increase the productivity in your company, wastage of materials which could impact on the environment is curbed.
Consequently, if your aim as a manufacturer is to operate a sustainable business that is efficient, profitable, competitive and also create great value for the environment, then sustainability will be a priority.
