Build for Living. Report.
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improving manufacturing processes
Considerable strides have been made in the past decade in improving the energy efficiency and reliability of manufacturing technology.
For example, many processes were controlled by pneumatic or hydraulic drives. These have proven to be inefficient and subject to high maintenance costs. Similarly, although constant-speed electric motors, for example in pumps, fans and blowers, were more reliable, their constant operation consumed high levels of energy.
The companies in the group have made a concerted push to introduce variable-speed electric drives which are reliable, low maintenance and low in energy consumption. They are able to vary their energy demands by slowing or switching off as required.
Brickworks Building Products™ has also undertaken a national compressed air survey at all its energy-intensive plants which resulted in numerous energy savings being identified and implemented. For example at Austral Masonry’s® Port Kembla (NSW) plant, two old air compressors were replaced with new, energy-efficient technology including variable-speed electric drives.
The ultimate productivity improvements and savings in energy consumption are made when old manufacturing plants are replaced with new technology plants, as was the case with the Wollert plants.