When letting off steam is a problem

• Jam factory discovers how to fix its steam production, save fuel and boost its performance
• Actions taken to optimise and upgrade its steam system save around € 35 000 per year

Favols is a jam manufacturer in southwest France which is keen to improve its energy performance and boost production. 

Money for jam... and pits 

• Well-established conserve-maker converts bio-waste into a revenue stream
• Selling its prune pits to a partner company cuts waste by 26 % and saves around € 3 600 a year

Favols is a jam manufacturer in southwest France. Created about 50 years ago, the company has been instrumental in promoting the region’s culinary culture and know-how.

The heat is on... too high!

• Energy audit reveals energy wastage in key fish-drying process
• Focusing on improvements along two workstations recovers € 67 700 per year in lost heat

Copalis is a French fish-processing cooperative. Opened in 1960 in Boulogne-sur-mer, it has become a global supplier of natural marine ingredients to the nutraceutical, functional food, animal nutrition, and cosmetics markets.

Finnish manufacturer sees the light

Implementing long-lasting changes, including behavioural change, requires good planning and commitment by employees and management. Mobility planning is a classic example of how this works.

Typically, mobility planning for personnel includes a baseline assessment of the current modes of transport used, which can be collected via a survey including a question on employees' willingness to change the way they travel to work. The idea of the plan is to map out challenges and problems on the path to more sustainable commuting, company wide.

Warm reaction to proposed new measures

All steamed up

• Food company investigates ways to optimise its steam production plant
• Discovers a feed-forward system can iron out steam production fluctuation 

Steam is a major component in most food manufacturing. One producer uses steam-heated distillation columns, for example, as part of its production, but was having problems with fluctuating inflow. This was causing unstable operations and excess steam consumption.

Finishing is a series of processing operations applied to a textile material that improves its appearance, performance, ‘hand’ (feel) and/or functional properties. Finishing processes are usually applied directly to fabrics after, or in combination with, dyeing. Technologies available for mechanical and chemical finishing of fabrics are extensive, with new finishing opportunities constantly being developed.

Dyeing can take place at multiple stages within the supply chain, from dyeing fibres and yarns through to fabrics and garments. The environmental impact of dyeing is related to the type of dye, type of material being dyed, application method used, stage applied and overall desired effect. In general, dyeing requires significant amounts of water and energy due to the use of heated dye baths and rinsing baths. Many of the chemicals used in dyeing also present a concern.