The need for sustainable manufacturing will continue to rise as companies begin to pay more attention to their environmental responsibilities. This demand has taken centre stage for all production engineers in the industry, with environmentally friendly projects and methods at the forefront.
Here at Clevedon Fasteners Ltd, we take our environmental responsibilities very seriously and as a result, we were awarded and maintain ISO14001 certification. We are also working on our green agenda and these two complementary undertakings have influenced our planning going forward to ensure projects and investments take account of: -
- Lowering energy consumption
- Water conservation
- Reduction of emissions
- Decreased waste generation
Cold forging could be described as a green technology in the broadest sense of the word as the process produces net shape forgings unlike processes such as turned parts, which result in large quantities of waste in the form of swarf.
Sustainable manufacturing can be defined as the development of produced items utilising cost-effective and safe techniques, something we already do and will continue to do so.
As part of our sustainability commitment, we have over the past two years achieved the following:
1. Removed “dirty” processes such as in-house cleaning which produced large amounts of contaminated liquids
2. Reduced our carbon footprint by 15% by minimising the distances products are transported
3. Reduced energy consumption by fitting LED lighting in our manufacturing and warehouse facilities
4. Reduced stocks which thereby reduce energy, material and labour
5. Closed two satellite facilities whilst increasing our productivity by 28% thus reducing waste and energy
2. Reduced our carbon footprint by 15% by minimising the distances products are transported
3. Reduced energy consumption by fitting LED lighting in our manufacturing and warehouse facilities
4. Reduced stocks which thereby reduce energy, material and labour
5. Closed two satellite facilities whilst increasing our productivity by 28% thus reducing waste and energy
We continue our “green” journey and are about to take delivery of a new heading machine which is much more efficient (in terms of energy and speed) than the machine it replaces.
The Key to Sustainability
In adopting a green perspective, companies can expect to appeal to current and potential new customers whilst allowing for increased productivity and efficiency. At Clevedon Fasteners, we work directly with our customers to fulfil particular requirements while retaining high-quality, long-lasting products.
We work hard to keep our production line and resources simplified so that we continue to manufacture efficiently and effectively. Organisations can conserve and protect natural resources while developing products with improved lifetimes and this can be achieved by manufacturing sustainably to extend their initial life cycle. In today's world, this increases the value of such products while also reducing waste.
Sustainability is something that businesses can no longer ignore; it is no longer only small niche businesses that are taking a stand; now, large corporations across a variety of industries are adopting an environmentally responsible approach to their operations.
Many products are made to the cost of “going green”. By doing this progressively and incrementally rather than through one “big bang”, we have been able to improve Clevedon Fasteners’ bottom line with most projects having a payback period of 12 to 18 months; as energy prices increase, this payback duration will truncate.
Sustainability on a Global Scale
Our quality control and expertise cover the globe and this is an aspect of our business that we will strive to maintain. Moving forward from the Covid-19 pandemic, the expansion of environmental norms have modified the quality benchmarks, causing a global shift in standards and expectations. As a result, we are working to obtain complete checks of all areas of the ISO 14001 requirements and expand our green agenda, boosting value for organisations around the world. Our ISO 14001 certification can be found here.
Advances in Sustainable Manufacturing
Governments are increasing funds for sustainable innovations and giving incentives for electric vehicles and sustainable energy processes by driving innovation in both the public and private sectors.
Changes in supply chains have resulted from sustainable manufacturing processes, as well as an increase in recycled and recyclable components. We've taken on that obligation and will continue to sustain first class suppliers to meet our clients' exacting needs and requirements. View the full range of products we provide, here.
We at Clevedon Fasteners recognise that, while organisations and governments are taking steps in the right direction, there is still a long way to go in terms of reducing climate change. For this reason, we will keep going and continue to develop our commitment and business processes.