It’s no secret that the manufacturing industry has a heavy reliance on energy. In fact, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, it’s one of the primary sources of global greenhouse gas emissions, along with the agriculture and transportation sectors.
With few opportunities to reduce overheads and production costs, it can be challenging to find the resources to transition to a more energy-efficient practice. That’s where Upgrade Finance comes in; a lending model that helps businesses access the tools they need to reduce their environmental impact and move towards a more sustainable future.
Below, you’ll hear from several manufacturers that are mitigating their impact on the planet – and saving thousands in the process – after backing their projects with Upgrade Finance.
Plasgain is one of the first companies in Australia to recycle plastic packaging into urban residential development products. But it was important for Director Darren Williames that they took steps to make their production process even greener:
“We’re solving other people’s recycling and land fill problems as well as our own, and to be as close to carbon neutral as possible is core to what we’re trying to do.”
Through upgrade finance, their mission was to create a carbon neutral manufacturing process, plus provide electric car charging facilities to power a fleet of electric utes. Whether a few months or a few years down the track, Darren knows that eventually he’ll have staff and customers who’ll need to charge up.
With funding enabled by Baw Baw Shire Council, Plasgain worked with UCS Group to install two solar systems across their buildings – 98.9kW and 34.8kW apiece – as well as two 25kW electric vehicle charging stations. The upgrades are expected to save the business over $33,900 per year and reduce carbon emissions by over 170 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of taking 36 cars off the road.
Tibaldi is a well-known and trusted Australian smallgoods manufacturer, established in 1934 by the Tibaldi family.
Greg Ridder, CEO of Tibaldi, wanted to gain long-term energy security, as well as mitigate the rising cost of the business’ electricity bills. Installing solar panels would allow them to maximise the value of their roof space, while also demonstrating to their clients that they take sustainable practice seriously.
“We’re always looking at innovation and the sustainability of our business, so using the amazing amount of roof space on site for a large scale solar system was an easy decision to make,” Greg said. “This will help lower the cost of electricity, provide environmental benefits by reducing our reliance on the grid, and also make Tibaldi more competitive.”
With funding enabled by Monash City Council, Tibaldi worked with Beon Energy Solutions to install a 1.066mW solar system on site. The whopping 2,962 panels saves them $330,000 a year in power bills, and guarantees them access to clean, green energy, whenever they need it. It also abates their carbon emissions by 1,537 tonnes a year – the same as switching nearly 60,000 light globes to LEDs.
Foamex are Australia’s leading suppliers of expanded and extruded polystyrene, creating everything from building products and insulation to shipping and food packaging.
While polystyrene may conjure images of single-use items that are quickly sent to landfill, General Manager Justin Kelsey has a different approach; much of the product being manufactured has long term use, such as for wall insulation, and many of the single-use items are recycled on site.
“Polystyrene is one of the few materials that can be 100% recycled,” Justin said. “We wanted to show that there are ways to make the product an environmentally sustainable solution for a lot of businesses, such as through a closed loop recycling system.”
It’s an energy-hungry process, with Justin looking to save money on power bills to better operate in a competitive industry.
Leveraging the power of the sun would reduce Foamex’s energy costs, as well as improve the sustainability of their operations.
With funding enabled by Maroondah City Council, Foamex worked with Cherry Energy Solutions to install a 99kW solar system on their Bayswater site. It’s set to reduce their emissions by over 98 tonnes of CO2 per year – the equivalent of taking 21 cars off the road – and is expected to knock a huge $18,000 off their energy bill each year.
HJ Langdon is a fifth-generation Australian family-owned specialist food company. They offer a range of ingredients, services and niche food products across the Asia-Pacific region.
Their energy hungry facility covers 19,000sqm, and was feeling the effects of increasing power bills. Chris Langdon, CEO, decided to reduce their operating costs while moving towards a more sustainable practice.
With funding enabled by Brimbank City Council, HJ Langdon worked with Beon Energy Solutions to install a 430.10kW solar array, which saves them a whopping $120,000 on power bills a year.
“I now have peace of mind that a certain portion of my energy bill will not be affected by any increases in energy bills, and that gives me a lot of confidence when planning for the future of the company,” Chris said. “We want to be around for our 200th anniversary and beyond.”
The system also abates 561.4 tonnes of CO2 per annum – the same as sequestering carbon in over 600 acres of forest.
D’Orsogna was established in West Perth in 1949 by the D’Orsogna family. Today, it’s a market leader in the food industry, manufacturing hams, bacon, salami, sausages, knobs and other continental products.
Cherry Energy Solutions worked to install a whopping 999kW solar system on site. Tony Iannello, Chairman of D’Orsogna, felt that it made sense to utilise the vast roof space for the creation of their own energy supply, making a strong, public commitment to sustainability in the process:
“The 8,500 square metres of rooftop solar powers a one-megawatt system that will greatly reduce operating costs and carbon emission on site.”
Generating their own energy supply saves D’Orsogna $210,197 a year in power bills and abates 1,883 tonnes of CO2 a year – the equivalent of nearly 240 homes’ annual power use.
With energy prices on the rise, smart business owners are switching to renewables to secure their access to electricity. In the long term, this will help future-proof their business, as we collectively transition to a net zero emissions future. We work with manufacturing businesses of all sizes to save them money through upgrades. Looking to make your business more sustainable? Apply for Environmental Upgrade Finance now.
The Sustainable Australia Fund is committed to helping local businesses become more sustainable. Its mission is to enable these businesses to fund key projects and unlock savings using Environmental Upgrade Finance.
The Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program is an initiative established by the Victorian State Government. The scheme aims to promote energy efficiency by encouraging households, businesses, and indu..
The hospitality industry increasingly faces a pivotal challenge: how do hospitality businesses become more sustainable while ensuring profitability? The hospitality sector, encompassing hotels, restau..
Our new Fast Track Green loan will deliver more speed, greater flexibility, and extra choices for our customers.
This includes:
+ Accelerated approval: With our Fast Track Green Loan, eligible businesses can secure up to $200,000 without the need to submit financials for faster approvals.
+ Fixed and Variable Rate Interest Options: All our eligible businesses can now choose an SAF green loan, including out Fast Track Green Loan with either a fixed or variable interest rate, providing the flexibility in funding you deserve.
Find out more and apply today!
