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SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING


BUSINESSES THAT ARE WORKING TOWARDS A NET ZERO FUTURE


David Taylor, from the commercial LPG division at Flogas, offers insights into how three manufacturing companies are reducing their carbon emissions and helping to lead the UK towards a net zero future


carbon emissions and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. To do this, it has presented the Ten Point Plan for the Green Industrial Revolution. This plan will allow the private sector to thrive in a way that is beneficial for the environment. By 2030, the government will invest £90 billion and support 44,000 jobs within green industries. Manufacturing accounts for a huge amount


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of carbon emissions. According to the Office for National Statistics, manufacturing was the fourth highest industry contributing to greenhouse gas emissions between 1990- 2020. Although the UK has seen a reduction in emissions since 1990, there is still a long way to go if the United Kingdom is to achieve net zero by 2050. Thankfully, companies in the manufacturing industry are working towards combatting the climate crisis. Taylors of Harrogate is a family-owned


business based in Yorkshire, England. The company produces a number of products, including teas and coffee, its most notable product being Yorkshire Tea. As a company, Taylors prides itself on prioritising people and the planet. Following this ethos, they build lasting relationships with their suppliers and sustainably source their ingredients. Taylors combats the climate crisis in many


ways. The company aims to make all of its plastic packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025. As well as this, Taylors began reducing its carbon emissions in 2015 and has since announced in 2020 that the company is completely carbon neutral. To achieve this, the business has measured the average volume of carbon dioxide that was emitted into the earth’s atmosphere at every


5 SEPTEMBER 2022 | PROCESS & CONTROL 0


he climate crisis is at the forefront of public discussion. The UK government is working towards a pledge to reduce


stage of its production line. This technique allows companies to


calculate how much carbon offsetting they need to achieve to balance out the emissions they cannot avoid. Companies that use this method make up for their day-to-day greenhouse gas emissions by contributing to offsetting projects. These projects can encompass work such as forest conservation and renewably energy expansion. In collaboration with the Kenya Tea Development Agency, Taylors has encouraged over 7000 farmers to plant almost 2 million trees. This is carbon offsetting, as the trees absorb carbon dioxide and balance greenhouse gas emissions. Siemens UK has sites across the UK. This


includes Electrum manufacturing sites in Wythenshawe and healthcare manufacturing facilities in Swords. Siemens manufactures a number of integral products and systems, such as traffic lights, gas turbines, and medical scanners. Siemens recycles 92% of its materials and


has an amazing 0% landfill waste capacity in Newcastle. The company has also spearheaded multiple national projects, including the Keele University Smart Energy Network Demonstrator. This is the largest grid in Europe. The project positively affects 350 buildings on campus and reduces 4,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. As well as this, Siemens is committed to


expanding the use of renewable energy. The company created a wind turbine blade factory in Hull, which is the nation’s largest offshore wind manufacturing facility. The UK government is said to be investing £160 million into the blade factory. This will double the factory’s size and provide a total of 1200 jobs across the whole facility. The company’s current project, the 1.4GW Hornsea Two, powers the equivalent of 1.3 million homes. Siemens’ turbines are utilised in the North Sea and around the world, powering a future free from harmful greenhouse gas emissions.


Quorn is a manufacturing company based


in Stokesley, Yorkshire. A producer of meat-free food alternatives, the company is committed to tackling carbon emissions one bite at a time. In fact, switching just one meal to Quorn mince is said to save the same amount of greenhouse gases as it takes to charge a phone for three years. The food manufacturing industry is


responsible for 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock farming accounts for 14.5% of all emissions alone. In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, Quorn calculates its carbon emissions from farm to fork. This includes the ingredients, factories, packaging, and transport it uses during the process. Quorn pieces produce a minuscule 0.22kg of carbon dioxide per serving. To put meat-free products into perspective, UK chicken produces 5kg of carbon dioxide per serving. Moreover, Quorn has committed to reducing


plastic waste within the food manufacturing industry. As of 2019, Quorn has removed all black plastic from products. Additionally, the company has created ready meal PET trays made of 80% recycled material. Plastic packaging is important to the hygiene and safety of a food product, so it cannot always be avoided. To ensure it minimises its impact on the environment, Quorn collaborates with RECOUP and WRAP UK Plastic Pack. There is a long way to go before the UK can


achieve carbon neutrality. Whether the nation achieves net zero by 2050 is down to the government’s cooperation with UK companies. Companies are achieving carbon neutrality, expanding turbine power, and recycling plastic waste. How will your business continue to lead the way in sustainable manufacturing? Visit https://processandcontrolmag.co.uk/


sustainable-manufacturing-three-uk- businesses-working-towards-a-net-zero-future/ to find a link to the sources used in this feature.


Flogas www.flogas.co.uk/business


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