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Adopt sustainable injection molding practices for materials and machinery chosen for manufacturing
INTRAVENOUS AND ARTERIAL ADMINISTRATION PRODUCTS
Segment Family Class
42
22
0
SDG Alignment
12. Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns
SDG Target
12.4
Target Description
By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
Level of Effort
Level of Effort Scale
2
1 -Quick Wins: solution involves adding criteria for the good or service being purchased (ex: certifications), minimal internal process changes.
2 -Long Term Adoption: solution requires some changes to internal processes and/or more capital investment (ex: digital transformation to reduce paper use).
3 – Disruptive Opportunities: requires significant investment and changes to internal processes (ex: retrofitting building)
Category Assessment
Assessment
• Assess your complete injection molding production process at your facility with your injection molding engineer, who can give you information on the materials you are working with and the machinery used for the process (hydraulic or all-electric).
• Evaluate your scrap production records and scrap management methods (reused or disposed of). The purpose of this evaluation is to make it clear whether or not scrap can be reused or not. It will illustrate your current waste management systems..
• Analyze your raw materials inventory and sources you procure them from (locally or internationally) and analyze your client orders in the pipeline, existing inventory, and forecast your product demand.
• Conduct market research on the types of reusable polymers which can be used in your product (IV tubes) manufacturing and discuss with your engineering team.
• Assess and identify potential suppliers (local than international) to procure these polymers/raw materials from and determine the possible leverage that you could have (such as promoting their brand).
Opportunity Identification
Business:
Promote company brand to be green or sustainable, the scope for recycling with the right choice of material will result in cost savings, and capacity to develop reverse supply chain from medical facilities will reduce RM procurement costs. The right choice of machinery will increase manufacturing productivity as well as improve environmental and production efficiencies.
Sustainability:
The recycling option will reduce wastes sent to landfills, and the right choice in machinery used will result in energy savings and reduced emissions.
Strategy Build & Execution
• Discuss with your existing suppliers based on your relationship regarding your goals to be achieved from this initiative and if such materials can be sourced by them for purchase.
• Work with your customers to gain access to a trial phase of your new products at their facility and request feedback. This step is essential to get your clients on board the new green initiative you plan to promote.
• Develop a recycling program of the scrap produced and how to infuse the scrap back into the production process and establish this program (procure the right machinery for the recycling program as well).
•Train the related staff and new employees on the recycling program and its benefits.
•Work with your clients (hospitals, medical supply stores, etc.) to design and establish a reverse supply chain to incorporate these products back into the new production line (at this stage ensure that the old products are made sterile)
• Work to attain the industry certifications for your new products produced from reused or scrap materials and apply for any benefit/credits offered by the government for the adoption of such initiatives.
Supplier Negotiation & Contract
• Negotiate terms with your machinery supplier for an exchange option or a discount option once the machine is near the end of life and suggest machine parts reuse as a sustainability initiative.
• Ensure that the contract includes warranty clauses if the quality of materials is compromised and hence mitigate risk.
• Encourage suppliers to discuss their reusable compounds and their sustainability potential with their other clients and leverage this business creation to exchange discount rates for bulk purchases.
• Discuss demand forecasts and RM lead times with suppliers to create transparent and open communication during the initial stages of venturing into this initiative.
• Encourage your suppliers to adopt a recycling program, which will add to their leverage in negotiations with other clients and create business value.
Supplier Performance & Management
• Enforce strict quality checks at every milestone in the production process and compare results until the new polymer and the new machine are stabilized.
• Perform internal reviews after implementing change to evaluate the commercial and environmental impact of adopted change initiatives for waste disposal operations. Conduct meetings with production floor workers and engineering teams for feedback and review on product quality, performance, and challenges faced.
• Request feedback from clients on the quality of the new product and discuss areas for improved product performance.
Evaluate the commercial and environmental impact of your facility's waste disposal operations after the scrap reuse initiative implementation.
• Consider comparing your products with the competitor products on the recyclability factor and ensuring the continuous improvement of product quality.
• Monitor the annual CSR reports of your suppliers and stakeholders.
Resource Links
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