Automotive firms limit energy usage

RISING energy costs and strained supply are compelling automotive suppliers in Nelson Mandela Bay to reduce their usage.

The Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC) EC this week helped five Bay light automotive components manufacturers with energy reduction at their sites.

The AIDC visited Benteler Automotive, Veyance Technologies, Lumotech, Natstan and Schaeffler in order to assess and refine their energy management systems.

The site analysis was aimed at identifying the significant energy users at the five plants.

AIDC EC supplier development and supply chain manager Lance Schultz said up to 85% of the total electricity cost of automotive component companies was due to production-related electricity usage.

He said the companies were working through the stages of achieving their energy efficiency ceiling.

"The direct benefit is not only cost optimisation but also to reduce industrial usage in the region. This is particularly important since the winter season is upon us and demand from Eskom is constrained. Energy efficiency is fast becoming the most talked about aspect of any production line, with the automotive industry accounting for a large portion of the globe's energy usage," Schultz said.

Energy management expert and ISO50001 technical auditor Moses Motaung, from Madikela Engineering Solutions, conducted the site analysis visits. "I am here as a fresh pair of eyes to ensure that the energy management systems which are put in place are sustainable for each company," Motaung said.

Bay company Tenneco recently achieved an ISO50001 Energy Management Systems certification and was the first company in the country to achieve the ISO standard. - Business Reporter