Sustainability and circular economy in the manufacture of machinery: a competitive advantage

In the last years, the sustainability has spent to be a fashionable word to a real requirement, so much by the normative pressure as by the demands of the market. For the companies manufacturers of machinery, adopt principles of circular economy and operations more sustainable no only is an ethical question: it can turn a competitive advantage.

Why it is notable now?

A lot of European and national rules aim to reduce the emissions, promote the efficient use of resources and demand environmental transparency.
Clients, so many publics like private, are incorporating ecological criteria in the selection of providers.
The energetic costs, of prime matters and management of waste are in increase, what does more necessary to optimise consumptions and reduce wasteful.
The social and environmental expectations of employees, investors and local communities presionan to the industrial companies to operate with responsibility.

Main strategies of sustainability and circular economy in machinery

Design for the reparation, reuse and recycling: From the phase of design, schedule so that the components can disassemble and replace. Use material recycled or of easy recycled at the end of the useful life. Favour modular pieces.
Remanufactura Of squads: In place to manufacture machinery entirely new, some companies reacondicionan squads used, update components and put them again in operation with guarantee. This extends the useful life of the active and reduces the demand of virgin resources. Recircular
Energetic optimisation and operative efficiency: Improve the efficiency of engines, bombs, systems of transmission, controls of variable speed or recovery of heat. The reduction of the electrical or energetic consumption help to diminish costs and emissions. Comexa Spain
Responsible use of materials and control of waste: Minimise scraps in cut, mechanised or assembling. Recover shavings, oils and other by-products. Establish internal systems of recycling and circular economy in plant. Zerintia Technologies
Preventive maintenance and management of the cycle of life: When prolonging the useful life of the machinery and avert grave failures, reduce costly interventions, premature replacements and unnecessary consumption. Tecarral
Environmental transparency and certifications: Adopt standard ISO, footprint of carbon, evaluations of the cycle of life (LCA),and report ESG that show to clients and stakeholders the environmental commitment.

Challenges when implementing these strategies

Initial investment: design machinery with sustainable criteria can have an extra cost in design, skilled materials or certifications.
Acceptance of the market: some clients can ask if the sustainable squads have minor performance or upper cost.
Reverse logistics: manage the collected and the handle of squads used or waste can require specific infrastructures.
Internal culture: it requires formation, sensitisation and change in processes to incorporate the sustainability like part of the DNA of the company.

Advantages and profits that can obtain

Reduction of operative costs and of maintenance, to half and long term.
Improvement of the image of mark and reputation, key in industrial companies that compete by big public or international agreements.
Access to new markets and clients with green criteria or biddings with environmental requirements.
Fulfillment regulatorio and minor legal risks in front of future environmental rules.
Mayor resiliencia in front of the rise of prices of prime matters and energy, when depending less than virgin resources.

A glimpse to the context of the sector machinery in Spain and Europe

In Spain, a lot of manufacturers are assuming already sustainable measures: more than the 75 % of the 50 main global manufacturers incorporate strategies to do machines more ecological. Aspromec
The Spanish machinery has a strong exporting vocation (roughly the 75 % of the production) what obliges to adjust to environmental requirements of international markets. Solunion Sure
It expects that the sector of machinery and engineering grow around a 3,6 % in 2025, what gives margin for the one who take advantage of well the new tendencies. metalesymaquinas.com