The economic benefits of green manufacturing

There is no question that the pressure is on for manufacturers in all industries to take a ‘green’ approach to their products and manufacturing processes. The global drive to the preservation of the environment is of such intensity that manufacturers and businesses in general are being urged to comply with some fairly stringent practices.

In as much as it may be a headache for many manufacturers to fall in line, as it can mean costly equipment upgrades or even alternate equipment purchases, there are not only environmental, but distinctive economic benefits once you have made the initial commitment to conform.

Go green in the workplace

The first of these could be right in the workplace itself. Things like healthier food offerings in the work canteen and cleaner workstations cleaned with environmentally friendly chemicals can improve the health of your employees, thereby immediately reducing sick leave days. Less sick-leave equals a more economically viable workforce. So right in your own back yard, as it were, are environmental and economic benefits.

Good PR means consumer demand

Good PR and Consumer demand come in many instances directly from a manufacturing business being seen to be genuinely in favour of, and actively doing something about, improving the environment. Research shows that the public is becoming more enlightened regarding the plight of the environment, and consistently check packaging and labels for recyclable materials and ‘greener’ products. Purchase decisions are made from these findings and therefore there is a direct economic advantage to any manufacturing business receiving good PR and creating better consumer demand through their ‘green’ policies.

Cleaning up the ‘neighbourhood’

There can be no question that great satisfaction must be felt by manufacturers that have knowingly improved various health and environmental factors by producing healthier and more environmentally-friendly goods and surroundings. Your own carbon omissions, when reduced, create a better and healthier immediate environment in the industrial area around your factory, and as time goes on, more people are coming to the realisation that emissions, general pollution and unhealthy processes have taken their toll on workers’ health – and even the health of residents in the immediate area.

The big guns are proof enough

If manufacturers are not convinced that going ‘green’ from a moralistic point of view is the way to go, the bottom line from an economic standpoint can be pretty impressive too. Apart from the already mentioned improved income from higher demand, there are various tax benefits offered and some benefits offered by Electricity providers for reduced electricity usage too. Some large international role players have benefitted financially in a huge way. In an article in the Guardian it was shown that DuPont, one of the forerunners of the ‘green’ manufacturing drive “committed itself to a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the 10 years prior to 2010. By 2007, DuPont was saving $2.2bn a year through energy efficiency, the same as its total declared profits that year.” General Electric too showed us that enormous savings can be made in the reduction of energy usage and reduced the energy intensity of its operations by 50%!

It’s clear then that the reduction of energy not only assists the environment, but is more than economically viable! Hopefully this is food for thought for any manufacturer not convinced that ‘going green’ really does advantage both the ailing environment… and their ‘bottom line!”

For more information about commercial packaging equipment, contact Acufill today.