September/October 2004 : CENTRIC AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL's experts coach Chinese foundries on site in implementing Cleaner Production
ASIA INVEST – Technical Assistance- ASI/B7-301/02/0535-004 (71307)
CLEANER PRODUCTION IN THE FOUNDRY INDUSTRY OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
In the framework of the ASIA INVEST Programme the European Commission has decided to assist and support Chinese foundry managers to implement cleaner production practices. Project execution takes place in Tianjin, China and in Europe. The project is executed by CENTRIC AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL in close cooperation with the Chinese project partner, the Tianjin Foundry Association. Further donors of the project are the Governments of the PR of China and of Austria.
The objective of the project is to improve product quality, to improve the efficiency of the casting operations, to create economic incentives for a sustainable development of Chinese foundry industry and the improvement of the company's environmental performance. This project contributes to the achievement and integration of environmental and economic goals by creating environmentally sustainable and economically successful business practices. Future industrial development based on Cleaner Production will bring industrial activity closer to meet the environmental criteria of the European Community and other sustainable orientated markets like Japan, since it would both reduce pollutant discharges and increase the efficiency of raw material consumption and energy utilization.
Cleaner production is a key concept that results in environmentally sustainable and economically viable business practices. Cleaner production reduces consumption of raw materials and resources as well as production of solid waste. In most cases, cleaner production can minimize or even completely eliminate the need for investments of end of pipe solutions such as waste or water treatment.
The pilot project in selected foundries around Tianjin is a strategic approach to operational improvement. This approach starts with a clear commitment of the top management to implement management strategies based on CP ideas and to assign a responsible CP team acting as internal consultants for the company. The next step is the assessment of the whole operation to identify the sources and actual costs of waste and inefficiency and options for improvement. From this, an integrated strategy can be developed that increases the overall efficiency of the operation rather than simply optimising one part. The main purpose of this approach is to identify cost savings and profit opportunities, to prepare the company to deal with their stakeholders and to contribute to the environmental protection throughout the reduction of waste and used resources. Building on this approach the company together with the EC experts will define their CP-policy- following the idea of Don't Let Our Profits Melt Away!
The first project year (October 2003 - October 2004) focused in a series of workshops and in individual on-site consulting activities on the operational improvement of the essentials for any foundry operation:
=> Improving Housekeeping Practices
=> Selecting Alternative Inputs
=> Improving Metal Yields
=> Improving Energy Efficiency
=> Minimising Foundry By-products
=> Production Planning and Improvement
For each workshop the project team has developed a textbook for the Chinese foundry industry. These manuals give a very detailed guideline how to implement CP into daily business. The seven parts of the textbook, translated into Chinese, are the first available Chinese CP guidelines for the foundry industry, the first summary of best practice and technology and the first guide for EMS in foundries.
All participating companies have started to compile a CP Assessment Report. The format for this report was especially developed for this project and contains all data beginning from general production data to detailed technology assessment results.