Plant: Opportunities in clean technology for manufacturers
by Mario Cywinski
Plant spoke with Dennis Dussin, president, and owner at Alps Welding Ltd., about the use of clean technologies in the manufacturing space. What should be a priority, how to implement cleantech, successful case studies, and more.
Photo: ©Sutthiphong/Adobe Stock
Alps Welding Limited is a custom metal fabricator in Woodbridge, Ont, with an over 50-year history. In that time, it has manufactured a wide variety of process equipment, including pressure vessels, heat exchangers, piping systems, and stacks, for the energy, chemical, and food industries.
In recent years, Alps has become a supplier to clean technology designers and is increasingly manufacturing equipment for customers to reduce their energy and water use and control their emissions.
Plant discussed how sustainability and carbon reduction trends impact manufacturers, and the opportunities and barriers that manufacturers face.
PLANT: How can manufacturers be more sustainable and reduce their carbon footprint, by using clean technology in the manufacturing space?
Dennis Dussin: An obvious place to start is to retrofit lighting and heating systems. Many companies have already done some of this, and it’s the low-hanging fruit. Lighting systems for manufacturing spaces have become much more effective and efficient recently.
Companies should also look at their operating equipment (machining centres, welding machines, or material handling systems) to see what is eligible for updating or replacement. New equipment usually uses less energy than older machines and is often more productive.
Technology that helps to eliminate waste or recycle resources is also a big opportunity. We fabricate heat exchangers and water filtration equipment for our clients, who have developed systems to capture waste heat or reuse water in their processes.
Manufacturers should be looking at where in their process they see lost energy, wasted inputs, or scrap and whether there is technology that can help them reduce, capture, or reuse those inputs and materials. We continue to see demand for these systems growing strongly in the coming years.
Vehicles are another area ripe for electrification, as technology has become cost-effective. We are looking at electrifying our forklifts and company vehicles. We are planning to install EV chargers in some of our parking spaces to encourage employees to start purchasing EVs.
This article originally featured in Plant. Read the full version here.
