How to cut costs and be environmentally friendly in the manufacturing business

With environmental issues and the climate change crisis making headlines, it’s no wonder that sustainability is top of responsible manufacturing companies’ agendas. One of the biggest barriers to adopting sustainable practices is often concerns over the cost of implementing changes, so the priority is finding a balance between profits and sustainability.

However, this is far from an either/or situation, and in fact, moving to a more sustainable model could actual help manufacturers to cut their costs long term, not raise them.

According to a report released over the summer 2019 by Make UK: “50% of manufacturers are making headway with their sustainability programmes, with 70% of those reporting that they have benefitted from a reduction in costs”.

The report found that those with the highest rates of success, both in terms of implementation and cost saving, were those companies that made changes at every level of the business. It’s incredibly positive to hear that headway has been made, especially with the uncertainty of Brexit looming, which will have its own impact on the UK’s environmental policies going forward.

Short-term changes for long-term cost cuts

There are plenty of ways that manufacturers can start on the road to sustainability, and still cut their long-term costs. One of the simplest and most implemented changes is in the way that energy is stored and used. This means installing systems to reuse and renew power and heat on-site.

Another solution is to look at current machinery and equipment, and upgrade them where possible. While this needs an initial injection of funding to purchase new equipment, the latest manufacturing systems are more energy-efficient, meaning that they are more cost-effective to run in the long term, as well as producing less waste energy.

At the moment, the biggest driver towards implementing these green changes is for the immediate business cost savings. However, more and more companies are showing concern for the environment on a larger scale, and are looking at long-term sustainability practices and innovations.

Sam Pentony, Environment Policy Advisor at Make UK, said: “Our survey results demonstrate that despite the level of Brexit uncertainty, our members are moving along the path towards sustainability. Whilst they are rightly conscious of the cost of implementing environmental and energy improvements, some are going much further and already thinking about the risk of climate change could pose to their businesses.”

Future sustainability

For those companies committed to improving their environmental impact, compliance with industry standards, such as ISO 14001, offers proof of intention. Corrotherm works hard to maintain these internationally recognised standards as evidence of our own commitment to prioritising sustainability in our practices.

There are certainly clear advantages to taking a more responsible approach to sustainability. As consumer knowledge and confidence in environmental issues grows, they are more likely to opt to purchase from and work with companies that show a real dedication to change. Manufacturers that show a commitment to using more environmentally aware methods and practices are more likely to attract customers who will show loyalty, as they know they are investing in a business they trust.

Clearly the future is green. We believe that it’s the responsibility of manufacturing businesses to lead the way, aiming for a truly sustainable production chain from start to finish.