Sustainability in manufacturing — boosting efficiency and profits

As the global climate undergoes profound changes, businesses find themselves in a pressing situation, compelled to address the escalating environmental concerns. Among industries, manufacturing stands out for its substantial resource consumption, waste generation, and energy utilization. As a result, manufacturers face mounting pressure to pivot towards sustainable practices.

The pressure for sustainability in manufacturing comes from customers, employees, partners, the federal government, and many state and federal regulatory agencies. The upshot? It is now critical to their success that manufacturers adopt a performance-oriented approach to tackle what is commonly known as the "Triple Bottom Line" (TBL) or the "3 Ps" — people, planet, and profit.

Going beyond superficial compliance

Achieving sustainability goals demands more than simply recycling and using energy-efficient equipment. It demands ingraining a "3 Ps" belief system into the fabric of enterprise-wide business operations, cultivating a culture where every phase of product development is driven by a commitment to lessen any negative impact that development may have on our planet.

Technology powered innovation

Forward-thinking manufacturers are embracing Fourth Industrial Revolution principles to integrate sustainability into their operational cores. How? By leveraging technology's power and revamping production standards through breakthrough automation solutions, such as 3D printing, robotics, nanotechnology, and data mining.

Using advanced AI and machine learning solutions empowers businesses to proactively identify challenges, devise innovative solutions, significantly impact the environment, and achieve sustainability goals… all while meeting or surpassing profitability objectives.

When it comes to sustainability in manufacturing, what steps have some manufacturers already taken towards green growth?

Here are the top three.

1. Enhance additive manufacturing capabilities

The pressure to “go green” and manufacture at lightning speed, all while keeping costs down, has intensified demand for 3D printing technology. Many future-focused companies are responding by embracing additive manufacturing and harnessing on-site 3D printing capabilities to unlock new possibilities and shorten development timelines.

However, implementing and managing an on-site 3D facility can be challenging, especially when the manufacturer lacks the equipment and employee skills that 3D printing demands. Beyond staffing, other issues exist, such as technology capital investments, ongoing equipment maintenance, technical support, supplies, cost control, and ensuring your 3D print workflows and processes are optimized.

2. Make the most of IoT networks

As the number of IoT devices continues to grow, operators must have the right solutions in place to manage, scale, and effectively leverage them for long-term benefits. Ricoh's IoT Command Center provides:

• Centralized control and bi-directional communications between devices and apps

• Automating actions for known issues without human intervention, such as device shutdowns and restarts

• Service repairs and software updates

3. Leverage expert support

Equipment downtimes are disruptive and costly, and to avoid them, manufacturers need exceptional equipment service and support, the kind that will keep their equipment in top working order. Ricoh’s Service Advantage program enables established and emerging technology organizations to leverage a vast service infrastructure to scale service delivery that meets demand.

As one of the largest global service delivery organizations, we utilize our expertise and customer-centric approach to design service maintenance programs for high-quality automated equipment. This results in increased efficiency, reduced costs, and improved production workflows for both partners and end-users.

Sustainability in manufacturing: looking ahead

Faced with a tight labor market and ongoing supply chain challenges, manufacturers must leverage the innovative automation technologies that will help propel their business forward. Sustainable practices have transitioned from a “nice to have” to a “must have,” and those manufacturers that fail to make the necessary digital transformation to implement those practices will undoubtedly be left behind.