FSi Promat cuts carbon emissions in manufacturing process by 50%

By changing the way in which a high-pressure air compressor is used at the company’s Measham factory, FSi Promat has reduced the carbon emissions generated through the system.

A vital element of the production process, the system supplies high pressure compressed air to machinery used in mixing sealants and coatings. Installing a variable speed air compressor to replace its existing fixed speed model means that the system is only using energy when it’s actively needed, vastly cutting down on the energy that was required for the previous ‘always on’ system.

Switching the machine is one of a number of changes the company has made to support more environmentally efficient operations, including installing a new system to reduce the amount of low-risk wastewater it generates by approximately 550,000 litres per annum, moving to sensor-based lighting and using renewable energy.

The manufacturer has also changed shift patterns to support a 30% reduction in energy use by condensing the running time of machinery.

Energy efficiency

Tim Roe, engineering and facilities manager at FSi Promat, explained: “Since starting at FSi Promat two years ago, I’ve been looking for ways in which to improve the energy efficiency of the operation in order to support the company’s sustainability goals and those of the wider Etex Group. This was something I noticed that could make an immediate impact on energy use and that would not have any effect on the manufacturing process at all.”

Roe continued: “The fixed speed air compressor always needed to be on, whether it was being used or not, and moving to a variable speed compressor was an obvious choice. Installed with minimal disruption, this is a like-for-like switch, but due to only being engaged when the compressed air is needed, it has seen a considerable reduction in the energy used to power it.”

Further, Roe noted: “While safety must remain at the forefront in the passive fire protection products domain, FSi Promat is constantly looking for ways to support more energy efficient operations. In this case, a relatively simple upgrade has made a considerable impact. We’re continuing to look for other changes we could make.”

*Further information is available online at www.fsiltd.com