Large Manufacturers Share Energy Expertise With SMEs

WE MAKE Project Holds Second Group Mentoring Session

The WE MAKE project has held its second best practice mentoring session focusing on energy efficiency air compression systems. The objective of these sessions is to provide guidance on how Maltese manufacturing companies can become more energy efficient, reduce costs, and increase competitiveness.

In an online session hosted by the Malta Business Bureau, Baxter showcased its best practices relating to air compression technology and operating procedures to a select group of SMEs. The SMEs were able to seek guidance and clarification on their own air compression systems from Baxter during the session.

This mentoring session by Baxter followed up on another session organised in October this year, led by De La Rue, which also identified opportunities to make air compression systems more efficient through calibration, leak detection, operator knowledge and other low-cost initiatives. By identifying low hanging fruits, industry stands to make large savings with minimal effort, and often at no investment. Hence, this highlights the importance of knowledge transfer to share such insights and opportunities to improve business processes. Efficiency gains will naturally depend on the intervention measures being implemented. However, the group mentoring session showcased how enterprises who utilise air compression as a resource in their manufacturing process stand a lot to gain. Proper calibration of air compression systems, for example, prevents wastage and is merely a question of modifying the system’s settings, with no investment needed. For aspects such as leak detection, one can either look at staff routines and protocols, to ensure that leaks are proactively sought, or else, one can invest in leak detection technology.

A collaboration between the Malta Business Bureau, the Energy & Water Agency and The Malta Chamber, the WE MAKE project aims to help manufacturing companies interested in becoming more sustainable to bridge the gap between theory and reality. It does so through such knowledge transfer initiatives, workshops and general outreach to local enterprises As many Maltese manufacturers do not compete for clients, there is potential for a co-operative business climate, which the WE MAKE project is helping to realise. Companies pooling their knowledge and offering expertise to other like minded businesses represents a convenient transaction where everyone stands to gain, and makes the overall Maltese manufacturing sector more competitive. This follows the WE MAKE vision of increasing opportunities for all Maltese businesses, rather than withholding knowledge and stifling progress. The project will therefore continue to offer all manufacturing companies the assistance they need.

Moving forward, the WE MAKE project will emphasise the need for energy project implementation within companies, identifying barriers to the uptake of energy efficiency initiatives, and identifying solutions.