Sustainability is an increasingly important consideration for many industries around the world. In the UK, the manufacturing sector is a significant contributor to the economy and employs over 2.7 million people.Manufacturing industries have been widely recognised for their negative impact on the environment through waste and energy usage. As such, it has a crucial role to play in reducing environmental impacts and ensuring a sustainable future.
Springs are essential components in a wide range of products, including cars, machinery, and consumer goods, meaning their production has historically been associated with high levels of waste and energy consumption, due to high production volumes. To address these issues, manufacturers of springs in the UK have been implementing a range of sustainability measures. These include reducing waste, improving energy efficiency, and ensuring sustainability in the supply chain.
Methods of increased sustainability within manufacturing
Within manufacturing facilities, it has been important to ensure that equipment is updated and maintained in order to comply with environmental standards. Over time, optimising the production process has meant more efficient use of energy within the process of manufacturing. Where possible, the use of renewable energy is taken up to reduce the impact of the energy still being used in production as optimisation and efficiency increases take place.
Optimising equipment can have the additional benefit of reducing waste materials. With less waste material, the yield from existing materials can be optimally used rather than needing to continue to retrieve more, and harming the environment in ways that it would have been historically. This also allows for less waste disposal efforts, as the materials have been used more efficiently through the manufacturing process.
Supply chain sustainability is becoming an increasingly important consideration for manufacturers. By working with suppliers who prioritise sustainability, manufacturers can reduce their environmental impact and support more sustainable practices across the industry. This includes sourcing materials from sustainable sources and ensuring that suppliers adhere to environmental standards. Promoting these practices across the supply chain encourages more businesses to take up positive environmental practices to continue to work with their
To reduce transportation-related emissions, manufacturers are exploring ways to reduce the distance that products need to travel. This includes establishing local supply chains, sourcing their materials from as close as possible, and using more efficient transportation methods such as rail and waterways where possible to reduce vehicular emissions. With consolidated shipments, the amount of journeys needed to ship the materials is reduced, increasing the long term sustainability of the transportation.
Conducting regular environmental assessments of your practice allows you to continue to improve your own position with where you stand sustainably. Regular assessments allow you to find areas in which improvements can be made that have either been missed before, or advancements have been made which allow for further improvement at this stage. It is an important factor in continued sustainable development, allowing you to regularly examine your practice and take a holistic approach to continued improvement.
Benefits of sustainable manufacturing
Alongside the benefit of reducing your environmental footprint, there are additional benefits for your business in seeking more sustainable methods of manufacturing.
Sustainable manufacturing can help to reduce business costs. By implementing waste reduction strategies and using resources more efficiently, sustainable manufacturing can help to lower production costs involved with the manufacturing materials. Alongside this, reducing energy usage, and optimised production processes can reduce the outgoing expenses from day to day production. For example, a manufacturer of springs in the UK may adopt sustainable manufacturing practices such as implementing lean manufacturing principles, using renewable energy, and reducing water usage. By doing so, they can reduce their production costs and increase their competitiveness in the market.
Sustainable practices also help to improve brand reputation. With the increase in concern for environmental impact, making sure your business is environmentally conscious is positive for the environment, and perception of your company. The prioritisation of sustainability in manufacturing increases public perception of efforts that your business is involved in, as people see you working towards a more sustainable future for the industry.
Over time, movement towards sustainability additionally drives innovation, as discovering new sustainability opportunities allow for further benefit from all the other improvements than there already is, with further waste, energy, and cost reduction as sustainable technologies improve.
Sustainability at Irvine Springs
At Irvine Springs, our commitment to sustainability is important to us. We aim to promote environmentally-sound manufacturing practices throughout the industry, in order to continue to help reduce the environmental impact manufacturing has. Proud of our heritage here in Scotland, a country famed for its beautiful environments, it is important to us to make sure its natural beauty is preserved for generations to come.
In order to do this we proudly engage with the Carbon Literacy Project, a programme which helps to improve awareness of carbon dioxide costs and the impacts everyday activities on emissions. Several members of the team are certified carbon literate, educated on methods to reduce emissions on an individual, community and organisational basis. At Irvine Springs, as leading manufacturers of springs, we are dedicated to providing our sustainable springs when and where you need it. Get in touch today and we can help provide you with the springs you need, manufactured with sustainability in mind.