Five easy tips to help your business go greener

April 2022:  Earth Day commences on the 22^nd of April. Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. It celebrates the importance of recycling in preserving our natural resources and securing the future of our planet.

Commercial waste from businesses has been a withstanding issue, with GOV statistics estimating that the UK generated 43.9 million tonnes of commercial and industrial (C&I) waste in 2018, of which 37.2 million tonnes (85%) were developed in England.

However, many businesses do want to go greener. A recent report found that over 60% of UK business owners would cut ties with suppliers that broke their environmental commitments. In addition, SME owners across the country are calling for more government funding to help businesses go green this year (87 percent), as over a third state their customers care about that their business is doing for the environment along with their own employees (24 percent).

In light of Earth Day, card payment specialists takepayments Limited have compiled a list of practical but straightforward tips to help businesses and SMEs go greener effectively. 

Five eco tips for businesses this Earth Day

1. Invest in recycled paper.

It's all well and good to recycle your office paper and have separate waste bins for recyclable and non-recyclable stuff, but if. Still, if you opt to buy non-recycled paper, it's counterproductive. Paper production necessitates an enormous quantity of energy. 

Use recycled paper for offices to guarantee your company is environmentally conscious. Recycled paper uses 28 percent less energy, and you'll be helping the UK economy as well (as the recycled paper is often made in the UK).

2. Shut down tech properly overnight.

Monitors and lights are easy things left on after everyone has clocked out. Making your employees shut off laptops and other equipment at the end of the day is a good way of lowering your carbon footprint. Although this may not significantly lower energy use, it will if you have a bigger office space.

3. Select green suppliers

Using a green energy supplier is a reasonably simple and environmentally friendly move your company can make. Many energy providers generate electricity from sustainable, renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydro. Some offer a combination of energy sources, while others guarantee 100% renewable energy.

4. Collaborate with other eco-conscious businesses

Do your research and, if possible, collaborate with other like-minded, environmentally concerned businesses. Numerous green partners range from sustainable raw materials suppliers to carbon-balanced office printers and even eco-friendly web hosting.

For smaller businesses, collaborating with other local eco-businesses in things such as giveaways on social media or using their services is a great way to communicate your efforts with your customers and help boost the local economy.

5. Invest in sustainable packaging

Encouraging recycling and reusing is critical in any industry. You could sell branded reusable items like shopping bags and coffee mugs in retail. If you own an office, make sure you have the appropriate recycling bins and encourage your employees to use the best green practices, as we do at Solve.

Even the most minor things don’t cost anything, like encouraging staff to bring their lunches in reusable containers. You could even give them branded eco lunch boxes –good marketing for your company and the environment!

Sandra Rowley at Takepayments Limited , said,    

“Days like Earth Day are a reminder for all of us to keep incorporating minor changes in our business practices. People more than ever are looking to buy from businesses that incorporate the most ethical and eco-friendly friendly practices. Consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious every year, and companies need to adapt to that demand if they want to thrive long term.

Whether your organisation has the budget to invest in more long-term strategies or whether you’re an SME who wants to make small changes while getting the business off the ground, making a conscious yet committed effort towards sustainability will be rewarding not only for your business but also yourself.”

Earth Day celebrations, Scottish Government Minister Lorna Slater has urged more women to join the construction industry and use their skills to build a greener future to help protect the planet.

In a wide-ranging video interview with electrical trade association SELECT, Ms Slater said women have a vital role to play in the engineering sector and should be proactively recruited into renewables and emergent technologies.

And the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity said that any women considering a career in construction or engineering should “dive in and go for it” to help build a net zero society.

Ms Slater, who gained a degree in electro-mechanical engineering in her native Canada before moving to Scotland, said: “When I was considering engineering as a career, the main pathways into it were maths and physics, both subjects in which girls are historically under-represented, so we have to make these subjects more accessible to young women.

“By the time I started working, it was really normal for me to be the only woman in the room, and I guess I got used to that – but we shouldn’t. We shouldn’t allow that to be normal.

“We need to proactively tell girls what great careers they can have in the emergent industries. So we have to go out, encourage them, find out what the barriers are and then try to knock them down to get women in and encourage them to stay.”

Speaking to Fiona Harper, Director of Employment and Skills at SELECT, Ms Slater went on: “There are few role models and, where women are doing these jobs, it is important that we share that information as widely as possible.

“Figures show that the construction industry is 97% male and if you are part of the 3% it can feel lonely and unprotected. We need to achieve critical mass, because my experience is that, until you have about 30% of women, it still feels unsafe. With more women, the whole dynamic changes.”

Ms Slater, who joined the Scottish Government in her capacity as co-leader of the Scottish Green Party following the Bute house agreement, said other countries, such as China and India, were doing better in terms of gender balance in male-dominated occupations, and questioned if there was a cultural reluctance to change in the UK.

She said: “There are very good careers available, with lots of opportunities for collaboration – bouncing ideas around a team and coming up with a solution to a problem, perhaps a solution no one else had ever thought of before.

“We don’t talk enough about the creative aspect of being involved in professions such as engineering and perhaps if we did, it would make the industry more attractive to a much wider range of talent.”

Asked for her final message, Ms Slater, who worked in a variety of engineering sectors, including renewables, before entering politics, said there were important roles for women across construction and that if they were considering a career they should “go for it”.

She said: “Don’t hesitate, dive in, take that big step. You can help build the world you want to see – and your country needs you.

“I really hope that more women who wouldn’t otherwise think about engineering or construction give it a thought because these are good jobs and you get to be part of a team where you collaborate, work together and problem solve.”

Ms Harper, who is also The Secretary of the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB), said: “We are grateful to the Minister for taking the time to take part in our video interview and address this important issue.

“Women have a vital role to play in the modern construction sector and it is vital that we seek out female talent to help us develop the technology of tomorrow.”

Marked every year on April 22, Earth Day is a celebration which demonstrates support for environmental protection and includes a wide range of global events.

Sulzer and Nordic Water deliver complete solutions for the water cycle

Sulzer and Nordic Water will be presenting their combined offering for the water sector in Hall B1, Stand 321/420 and Hall A2, Stand 115/214 respectively at IFAT 2022. Visitors will be able to talk to a range of experts and learn how the solutions of both brands come together to offer opportunities for greater energy savings as well as achieving improved sustainability.

Attendees will be invited to explore solutions to support the whole process of collecting and treating wastewater on Sulzer's stand through a combination of live presentations and exhibits as well as a virtual reality experience. Starting with pumps and controls for pumping stations, the journey pauses with a live grinder display and continues through flood protection, static and submersible mixers, screens and turbo-blowers before finishing with sand filtration systems.   Across the complete product range, visitors will be able to see the defining qualities of Sulzer and how the company provides operators with better quality, energy efficiency and reliability. Both stands will offer opportunities to gain a hands-on experience with some products and a virtual tour of others using VR headsets.   On Sulzer's stand, there will be an opportunity to review the extended VUPX and XFP pump ranges as well as discuss the Monster Stack™ grinder, which offers a customized cutter stack that can be designed to match individual applications. In addition, there will be videos explaining the significant energy savings that can be made by switching to the HST turboblower as well as asset control systems that ensure pumps always operate at their most efficient point.   On the Nordic Water stand, visitors will be able to see a 3D-printed model of a treatment plant showcasing various pieces of the company's equipment as well as full size examples of filtration systems, bridgeless scrapers and pumps from Sulzer. There will be experienced staff on-hand to discuss the environmental and economic benefits of the latest in primary filtration and tertiary treatment including micropollutants, phosphate or innovative solutions for drinking water.   Visit Sulzer and Nordic Water at IFAT 2022, May 30 – June 3, on stands 321/420 and 115/214 respectively

www.nordicwater.com

www.sulzer.com

The demand of lightweight robots that can operate with high dynamics and a high degree of precision is increasing. This cannot be achieved with one component alone as Ralf Moseberg, Head of Business Field Industrial Automation at Schaeffler explains, "Schaeffler has addressed this challenge head-on by developing new main bearings, motors, gears and a fully integrated sensor system for lightweight robots and cobots. Our solution package will enable cobots to operate around 50% faster and simultaneously transport 30% heavier loads, while our innovative concept in the form of sensor-based strain wave gears will provide the required sensitivity. This will enable us to explore other areas of application.”

Cobots that combine high dynamics and sensitivity offer much greater flexibility in use, from collaborative applications to classic industrial robots, which not only result in a much faster return on investment and significantly increased productivity, but also in stimulated demand for cobots.

Precision strain wave gears

Schaeffler has expanded its range of precision strain wave gears to accommodate a broader range of applications in its robotics portfolio with two series for lightweight robots: RT1 for the high-torque range and RT2 for standard torque applications.

Thanks to the high torque density, RT1 strain wave gears permit particularly compact articulated arms for higher-than-average loads. Their low weight and compact design make them an ideal choice for use in cobots. The backlash-free and wear-resistant tooth system of the strain wave gears guarantees excellent positional accuracy over the entire operating life.

In both series, the high tilting rigidity of Schaeffler's XZU double row angular contact needle roller bearings enable a cobot structure with considerably increased rigidity.

Torque sensor system

The precision strain wave gears now come with the added option of a fully integrated torque sensor system, which delivers high-precision torque signals without the need for additional installation space, or any resulting loss of rigidity in the overall mechanical system.

A durable sensor solution suitable for volume application has been unavailable in the market to date – a gap which Schaeffler has now succeeded in closing with its sensor-based precision strain wave gears.

Unlike other solutions available on the market, the torque sensor structure in sensor-based strain wave gears is applied to the flexspline on a permanent basis using thin-layer technology. The sensor system not only supports safety functions but also provides precise, sensitive position and process control. The torque signals can also be used in the development of an active vibration compensation system, with the aim of achieving shorter transient response times for highly dynamic motion profiles.

Dynamic motors

The motors in Schaeffler’s UPRS series offer a smaller design envelope, reduced weight, a higher torque density, and speeds that are, on average, 80% higher than conventional drives available on the market.

 The newly developed motors are designed as axial flux machines, with coils designed in a PCB configuration. The special circuit board design permits a high copper content by volume, good heat dissipation, and improved energy efficiency.

By optimising the motor design, Schaeffler engineers have succeeded in reducing the cogging torque to almost zero with noticeably positive effects in areas including teaching mode. The systematic use of innovative materials in the active components of the motor reduces the weight of the motors and increases their energy efficiency. As is standard with frameless motors, the bearing supports of the adjacent construction are also used, thus reducing both the design envelope and weight.

With these developments, Schaeffler's Ralph Moseberg concludes " Robots is a field with considerable growth potential and we have everything we need to fulfill the future system component requirements".

www.schaeffler.co.uk

Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software provider Ultimo has added an autonomous maintenance feature to its platform to allow plant operators to carry out and track simple maintenance tasks using the same software as the maintenance team. Operators can manage recurring tasks, such as lubrication and inspection, independently and log them in Ultimo. This helps optimise uptime, as most issues can be avoided by ensuring that machines are clean and well lubricated. If minor problems occur, the operators don’t need to wait for the maintenance team to action them. It also bridges the communication gap between the departments, ensuring that every maintenance task is managed in the same software to increase asset availability, improve efficiency, and enhance safety.

“Operators have a lot of knowledge about the equipment they work with, but organisations don’t leverage that resource,” says Chris van den Belt, Team Leader Product Management, Ultimo. “The operator standing next to the machine might be able to recognise a fault at an early stage and could often identify and fix many issues in a matter of minutes. Having to wait for the maintenance team to arrive to solve minor faults is frustrating for them and inefficient for the business. Maintenance technicians, on the other hand, are frustrated by the fact that most failures are caused by improper operation, dirt and poorly lubricated parts.”

By empowering the operators to look after first-line maintenance tasks, Ultimo helps organisations move away from the siloed approach where one team uses a machine, and another maintains and repairs it towards a culture of shared responsibility and ownership. The operators don’t need to waste time waiting for minor tasks to be actioned, and the maintenance team can spend time on more value-adding activities. Maintenance costs are also reduced when minor tasks are carried out by operators with lower hourly rates than maintenance technicians.

The autonomous maintenance feature - which is fully integrated in the Ultimo Shift Handover module – is designed as a simple, easy-to-use checklist functionality. It allows operators to log their repairs quickly, include pictures, and escalate jobs to the maintenance team, improving collaboration between the departments. A recent survey of asset managers (EAM Trend Report 2021) identified poor communication between teams as the second most significant threat to uptime, only preceded by the risk posed by ageing assets. Autonomous maintenance helps address this issue, ensuring that vital information on asset health and safety is shared between the teams for the benefit of the entire business.

To find out more, visit www.ultimo.com

The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) and its members are proud to support Global Lifting Awareness Day (GLAD), which this year will take place on 7 July 2022, and encourages organisations and individuals to share any content they are producing or events they are hosting for adding to the new dedicated website for #GLAD2022, which is now live at globalliftingawarenessday.com. The site provides a hub for the latest news, updates, videos and downloads around the big day and lists the partners supporting the event.

#GLAD2022 will see the Lifting Industry reach out to a broad coalition of end user sectors by uniting to share material promoting safety and high standards of load lifting. Anyone with an interest in lifting and working at height can contribute. Participating can be as easy as using the hashtag #GLAD2022 across social media platforms such as of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikToK, adding the GLAD2022 logo to email signatures, all the way through to producing unique content.

Now in its third year, the aim for GLAD in 2022 is very much to expand its scope. So for #GLAD2022, there will be a loose coalition of organisations and trade associations that all share an interest in height safety, drop prevention and lifting. These include: ABMEC (The British Mining Association), AWRF (Associated Wire Rope Fabricators), Bridger Howes (Industry Public Relations business), DROPS (Drop Objects Prevention Scheme), EIC (Energy Industries Council), HASANZ (Health and Safety Association New Zealand), ICHCA (International Cargo Handling Coordination Association), Institution of Mechanical Engineers, IPAF (International Powered Access Federation), Lift and Hoist International magazine, MHI (the US’s largest material handling, logistics and supply chain association), NRAG (National Rigging Advisory Group), RIDBA (Rural & Industrial Design & Building Association), UKWA (United Kingdom Warehousing Association), WAHSA (Work at Height Safety Association) and LEEA (Lifting Equipment Engineers Association).

Among LEEA plans currently being organised for GLAD will be the launch of the Association’s new state-of-the-art online training available in a variety of languages. There will be webinars on technical issues for industry specialists. A supply chain event, co-hosted by LEEA and other lifting-related trade associations, will support member companies across the board. A Think Lifting online event will showcase the toolkit available to support companies engaging with schools in their local communities. In addition, other plans LEEA is making for #GLAD2022 include free training events, Q&A sessions with trade association and industry leaders and the launch of films and other tools.

Ross Moloney, CEO of LEEA said: “We are excited to see what you have planned for the day. At LEEA, we are particularly interested in material regarding Apprenticeships, Military recruitment, Diversity, Sustainability and involvement in technology and transforming to the digital world.  A special LEEA Award will be going to the best submission. So we encourage companies and organisations working in the sector to share their content with us so we can post it on globalliftingawarenessday.com.”

Hart Doors has completed an installation of five Speedor Minis, the high-performance interior roller door that delivers higher operating speeds than traditional sectional doors or roller shutters. The client is an international manufacturer of helicopters.

The installation required a reliable, internal, high-speed roll-up door designed for frequent use in high traffic situations. Speedor Mini was selected as it is constructed to sustain a high number of opening and closing cycles while operating in frequent use, busy traffic conditions.

“Due to its superior design, required with such a high level of duty, the Speedor Mini is capable of thousands of operations week after week, year after year and requires lower maintenance and repair costs,” says Carl Crossman, Hart’s Project Manager

“The Minis have been installed in abrasion and fettling booths to mitigate against environmental hazards caused by dust emissions from the grinding or fettling processes where surplus material is removed from castings. This required a door that was capable of a fast open/close cycle, a high level of usage with low maintenance and, in the case of the case of this contract, be capable of withstanding pressure differentials on either side of the opening.”

Contact: www.hartdoors.com  t: 0191 214 0404

Henkel’s extensive LOCTITE® Instant Component Bonding range has a new best-in-class instant adhesive product for the assembly of small components in high-speed production applications as well as quick, on-the-go repairs.   This new addition is LOCTITE 402, an instant, high strength adhesive whose features and benefits are designed to help address industry challenges such as: productivity, reliability and design diversification.

The LOCTITE Instant Component Bonding range addresses many of the design and assembly challenges faced by manufacturers in their quest to pioneer new products that are innovative, reliable and profitable.  LOCTITE 402 builds on this foundation with even faster fixture speed, superior heat performance and a unique, patented formula with upgraded health and safety credentials (formulated without the addition of traditional stabilisers such as HQ and MMBP). So, how do features of the LOCTITE 402 translate to benefits in modern manufacturing?

Sulzer begins Baton Rouge Service Center expansion project

Sulzer has begun the construction of an all-new 7,200 sq. ft. expansion to its Baton Rouge Service Center in Louisiana. Breaking ground in a ceremony on December 9, 2021, the project is designed to enhance repair, reengineering and upgrade services for operators of all types of rotating equipment in the US Gulf Coast area.

Watch the Baton Rouge Service Center YouTube video here.

Glenn Doerksen, President Pump Services NAM at Sulzer, said during the ceremony: "It's really an exciting day for Sulzer and the Baton Rouge service center. This expansion has been made possible by our products, services, customer relationships and expertise. I'd like to thank everyone who has enabled this success - from here we grow and add to our history."

As a premier independent service provider for rotating equipment and a global pump original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Sulzer offers its customers unrivalled around-the-clock services designed to maximize equipment reliability and availability. Expanding its facilities at Baton Rouge is a key component of Sulzer's ongoing investment strategy, growing its market-leading capabilities through enhanced service center capacity and equipment.

Once complete, Sulzer customers will benefit from even shorter lead times on all repair, reengineering and upgrade projects - especially for large vertical pumps and small steam turbines. Throughout the duration of the expansion, Sulzer's usual high levels of service will continue to be available to customers.

The Baton Rogue Service Center is a leading service provider to the power generation, petrochemical, steel and heavy-manufacturing sectors as well as many others. A part of Sulzer's global network of service centers, Baton Rouge offers a specialized range of 24/7 in-house and field engineering services, delivering projects on reduced lead times and to exacting standards.

The expansion will add to the 10,500 sq. ft. of floorspace currently available at the service center. New machines, upgraded cranage with a 20-ton lifting capacity as well as a dedicated painting and blast booth will also be installed as part of the project.

Beyond supporting Sulzer customers, the new service center expansion will provide increased job opportunities in the local area. Sulzer is looking to hire new mechanics, machinists, office staff, sales teams and apprentices, once construction work is complete.

www.sulzer.com