• Continuous Process Manufacturing
• Energy Saving.
• EVSM
• LCA
• Sustainable Manufacturing

As the worldwide GDP is forecasted to more than double by 2035, the energy consumption is expected to increase by 34%. In particular the industrial sector will account for more than 30% of the primary energy supply by 2040. Combining these figures, the predicted long-term inflation of finite resources prices and increasingly stringent environmental regulations, manufacturing industries aim at reducing environmental wastes. One way to do it is to embed environmental considerations to Lean initiatives. Indeed, the Lean philosophy of waste elimination, combined by environmental sustainability tools, facilitates the identification and reduction of material and energy consumption whilst considering environmental risks.
The project was undertaken in collaboration with a premium floor coverings and wall claddings UK Manufacturing company. An integrated method is proposed that is composed of Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Value Stream Mapping. By combining both methodologies, the whole manufacturing system was analysed, potential actions for energy reduction proposed and the environmental impacts of different processes and life cycle stages were quantified and compared.
The project has identified the main sources of energy consumption. Improvement actions were proposed potentially reducing the energy consumption by more than 30% on some processes. The main source of energy consumption in the lines was found to be the ovens. The main source of shop floor electric consumption was evaluated to be the transportation of raw and operating materials. The materials with the highest environmental impacts were identified and compared with sector standards.