Reusing Equipment Is Part of Being Sustainable

“Sustainability” is more than just another trendy buzzword; it is a shift in thinking and behavior that positively impacts our environment and even our lives. But everyone needs to do their part, which means that more businesses need to embrace and engage in sustainable practices wherever possible. According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), roughly an estimated 19 percent of domestic direct emissions that negatively affect the environment come from companies operating in the manufacturing space. For this reason, there is a tremendous push to get more of these companies to embrace sustainable manufacturing.

What Sustainable Manufacturing Means in a Modern-Day Society

Sustainable manufacturing refers to the creation of manufactured products via economically-sound processes that limit the potential for adverse environmental effects while, at the same time, helping to conserve energy and natural resources. Further, sustainable manufacturing aids in conserving energy and natural resources, all while enhancing employee, community, and product safety. Yes, it is that much of a win-win for the environment and everyone involved. One of the best ways to embrace sustainable manufacturing is by reusing equipment whenever possible. To help illustrate this point, imagine if an office worker used just one less staple each day, substituting it with a reusable paper clip, this simple act would reduce steel production by roughly 120 tons in one year.

How Reusing Equipment Can Improve Sustainability and Boost Profits

While a single office worker cutting back on how many staples they use in a day does improve sustainability, it is not nearly enough. Companies and individuals will have to think bigger and act bolder if the goal is to make real headway in maintaining or improving sustainability. One way to get the proverbial ball rolling is by reusing and recycling surplus equipment. That said, many of the machines critical to manufacturing are available second-hand, from the ones that assemble raw materials to the ones that produce the finished product to be sold to consumers and everything in between. Going this route keeps these machines out of landfills while improving sustainability and, in turn, making it easier for companies to stay within budget.

It is also worth noting that these lower-priced pieces of equipment generally come with a warranty of some kind. And from an insurance standpoint, used manufacturing equipment is also much cheaper to insure. What’s more, if you ever decide to sell, you stand to recover a significant percentage of your original investment. Studies show that used manufacturing equipment depreciates much slower than their new counterpart. All in all, with used manufacturing equipment, you will still be able to churn out the same volume of products in the same timeframe but with less overhead costs. You will also be doing your part to preserve the environment for future generations.

Reusing or repurposing equipment doesn’t always mean buying second-hand; redeployment falls under this umbrella as well. In the name of sustainability, some manufacturing businesses will redeploy equipment from a previous facility to a new one rather than starting from scratch by buying new equipment. While they can vary from one manufacturing business to the next, some of the equipment that is purchased second-hand or redeployed the most are as follows:

• Milling machines
• Molding machines
• Spot welding machines
• Conveyor and assembly stations

Bottom Line

All in all, reusing or otherwise repurposing manufacturing equipment, irrespective of the business or industry you are in, can go a long way toward boosting sustainability, lowering your business expenses, and helping the environment.

Categorias: Asset Management

Tags: asset management manufacturing recycling recycling equipment reusing equipment sustainability sustainable manufacturing,