Water waste! Manufacturers look to go green

Imagine the changes required to transform a car factory  into a place in which not one single kilogram of landfill waste is produced, and you are some way to understanding what is it the Next Manufacturing Revolution (NMR), a not for profit initiative comprising academics, strategy and enterprise experts, is hoping to achieve.

In the UK manufacturing industry, improvements to the workforce have already reduced costs and improved efficiency at a rate of 3% per annum since 2001, but so far the efficient use of materials, water and energy has been slower to follow suit. In the NMR’s new report, academics from the Department of Engineering’s Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) have collaborated with industrial partners to give practical advice on how the manufacturing sector in the UK can clean up its act, and boost its profits.

“We are very excited about the launch of NMR’s report and the beginning of its programme to drive forward greater efficiencies, and in turn productivity, profits and jobs, in the manufacturing sector”, says report co-author Professor Steve Evans of the University of Cambridge. “The changes that NMR’s programme advocates use proven technologies and have already been implemented by pioneering companies. In many cases actions are straightforward and will deliver quick returns.”

The report and subsequent programme claims it can help deliver significant benefits to the sector, including £10 billion per annum in additional profits and a 4.5% reduction in the UK’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions.  It focuses on seven key areas including waste, energy, packaging and supply chain collaboration.  These areas have been analysed within each of the manufacturing sub-sectors making it one of the most comprehensive analyses of resource management in UK manufacturing to date.

“I welcome this report for the important issues it raises around sustainable manufacturing and the range of opportunities it identifies for UK industry to improve its productivity through more efficient use of resources,” said The Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. “It fits neatly with my objective of strengthening the manufacturing sector in a forward looking and sustainable manner.  There are many companies cited in the report as best practice leaders, and I am very supportive of its efforts to encourage the rest of UK manufacturing to follow their lead.”

The NMR launched its new programme at a high profile event attended by Government, companies and NGOs at the House of Commons last week.

Established in 2012, NMR is a not-for-profit initiative founded by strategy advisors Lavery/Pennell, the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing, and business community experts 2degrees.  Its objective is to unlock significant performance improvement in the manufacturing sector working with manufacturers, government, policy makers and relevant NGOs.

For a full copy of the report and further details on NMR’s programme is available please visit: http://www.nextmanufacturingrevolution.org