By its nature, a foundry is an energy-intensive business so the choice of energy supplier is a critical decision when considering the carbon footprint of the business moving forwards. As part of our commitment to sustainability, NovaCast has taken the opportunity to engage with an energy supplier that guarantees 100% of the electricity it supplies is from renewable sources (wind, solar and hydro). You can view our Renewable Electricity Commitment Certificate here.
The commitment to use renewable electricity in the foundry is the latest in a series of initiatives at NovaCast aimed at making the business more sustainable. Others have included investing in technology that will deliver castings using less raw materials and energy, taking less time to produce, while delivering better component performance and lower costs for customers. 3D modelling and casting simulation software has enabled the foundry design engineering team to influence the design process at a much earlier stage – suggesting design modifications or combining multiple assemblies into a single, more efficient casting that can take weight, materials, and cost out of components while improving performance. Rapid prototyping using additive technology (3D Printing) has reduced the need for patterns to be made in the traditional way, and using 3D scanning of existing components has enabled reverse engineering. Both lead to greater production efficiencies, design improvements and lower use of resources. Adapting or changing other aspects of the production process has delivered environmental impact improvements or reduced the resources used. And recent investment in the Synchro ERP system has allowed the business to have far greater control, understanding and clarity, while investment in UKAS ISO9001 accreditation has imposed quality disciplines and monitoring throughout the company.
All of this has resulted in a significant improvement in NovaCast’s sustainability score as measured by the EcoVadis sustainability ratings platform.