Is Sustainable Manufacturing in the Cards?
Posted June 21, 2013 & filed under References
Is your company going green yet? Whether you think climate change is a serious concern, or shrug it off as a bad case of paranoia, the topic is here to stay. Industry professionals – whether by actions of goodwill or steady pressure from the EPA – are focused on going green. While the specific effects of sustainable manufacturing remain controversial, companies are nonetheless attempting to latch on to its principal concepts.
Sustainable manufacturing has the potential to reduce energy consumption, water waste, and carbon emissions, a promotion of cost saving measures that is attractive to factory and plant owners. However the effects of such cost saving measures are generally offset from the original implementation of greener procedures. Akin to installing solar panels to heat household water supplies, sustainability measures like protecting equipment and building materials from corrosion and weathering may increase their lifespan, but it is an expensive investment that comes with a delayed payoff. So can the manufacturing industry, which is still recovering from the recession, afford these costly investments only to save money in the long run?
What is currently being done?
Optimization of machines and material resources is a major area of focus for those wanting to adopt more sustainable production processes. Since 1960, the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) hierarchy of metrics has been employed to increase production rates of packaging by simplifying the overall process. Originally, this Japanese invented method was meant to reduce costs, but now it is also relied upon to make for better efficiency in reducing the amount of materials and energy that are put into company efforts.
On the human side of efficiency, businesses are embracing sustainable manufacturing by creating a rewards system for employees who are more efficient, while simultaneously holding managers accountable for not reaching sustainability goals.
Going green is becoming a branding tool for companies to reach out to the new generation of customers and clients, most of whom are focused on environmental issues. “Environmentally friendly” is now a badge of honor proudly worn by businesses to promote a positive company image.
Although sustainable manufacturing is becoming the norm businesses still have a long way to go in becoming true pioneers of sustainability. With the recent recession and the economic uncertainty of the future companies are struggling to find the funds to invest in environmental procedures. Although a worthy cause, sustainability is a difficult hand that has been dealt to the industry. It may be the right hand to play, but is sustainable manufacturing in the cards right now?
By Kevin Withers
