CONTINENTAL Tyre South Africa’s focus on sustainability and reducing its energy consumption has been recognised by the South African Energy Efficiency (SAEE) Confederation, which honoured the local tyre manufacturer with the Industrial Corporate Project of the Year award for 2020.
The award recognises innovative industrial energy management projects and outstanding contributions to the energy industry. Continental received the award for a heat recovery project that saved 4.5 million kWh of energy and over R1 million in 2019 – and continues to benefit operating efficiencies and reduce the plant’s environmental impact.
“Being recognised for the monumental efforts we have put in to reduce our electricity and coal consumption is both humbling and motivating,” said Continental Tyre South Africa’s General Manager: Manufacturing, JJ Dowling. “Considering the electricity supply challenges South Africa faces, as well as the need for us to be more environmentally sustainable, every action we take to reduce our energy consumption is critical.
“We have a passionate and committed team that takes a strategic and hands-on approach towards finding innovative solutions to make our plant more efficient. This helps reduce our reliance on coal and electricity as energy sources, while also having a positive impact on operating costs.”
According to Ramoabi Moeng, CTSA’s Head of Manufacturing Technology Engineering, several heat-recovery projects have been implemented over the years that ultimately made this latest initiative possible.
“Our Sustainable Technology & Infrastructure Department, along with project lead Atte Els, investigated a means of optimising the steam and condensate system that is essential for our tyre manufacturing operations.”
Moeng said steam from the clean condensate system, which was previously dumped and wasted as an energy source, was re-routed and reused. “This allowed us to achieve a saving of 4.5 million kWh of energy and over R1 million per annum.”
CTSA’s energy-saving efforts were further recognised in being shortlisted in the Industrial Corporate Company of the Year category. In the last five years, the company has reduced its electricity consumption by 41.3 percent and, in the same period, cut its coal consumption by 63.7 percent. By fully implementing ISO 50001:2011 guidelines since 2016, CTSA has improved its overall energy efficiency by a remarkable 27.5 percent.
Additionally, CTSA employee Heath Thornborrow was nominated for the SAEE Young Professional of the Year award for his contributions to reducing the company’s energy consumption over the last three years.
Through various heat recovery and leakage reduction and optimisation initiatives, Thornborrow has helped the company save more than six million kWh of energy and over R1.5 million in operating costs.
