A Sustainable Start

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INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING – VOLUME: 47 NUMBER: 1

Tips can help manufacturers devise a game plan

Although manufacturers no longer have to mortgage their futures to get on the sustainability bandwagon, businesses just getting started might be advised to follow a few key preparatory steps.

Dave Meyer, a senior consultant at Environmental and Occupational Risk Management Inc., said the Search ManufacturingERP.com that as the gap narrows between short-term, upfront costs and return on investment, more companies are looking to optimize energy, water conservation, product substitution and resources management.

Sustainable practices must be embedded into your manufacturing processes. This includes the types of material inputs and waste outputs associated with your product, how you manage greenhouse gas emissions, what happens with health and safety, where your materials are coming from and how your suppliers affect the sustainability of your product.