Taking steps towards being a ‘green manufacturer’ isn’t just about being eco-friendly, it’s becoming an economic necessity, as customers and shareholders are now demanding it, suggests PEIE’s Mulkie Al Hashmi and Co-ordinator of Oman’s annual Smart Manufacturing Conference.”Omani manufacturers that don’t address issues such as energy wastage, the integration of recycled or biodegradable materials in products, excess packaging, carbon offsets and shorter supply chains will be held to account,” warns Al Hashmi. Indeed, manufacturers the world over are facing a new ‘green’ reality and those that don’t adapt to this new environment will suffer.
For any manufacturer, points out Al Hashmi, ‘green’ covers a wide range of areas from the materials they buy to the energy they use; to transportation costs for inbound and outbound freight; to the amount and type of paper they use in their office; through to the amount of waste they create and what’s done with it. According to the Smart Manufacturing Conference Co-ordinator: “Oman-based manufacturers are spending large amounts of energy, time and money to improve their sustainability, operations and image. In fact, we’re witnessing manufacturers across Oman develop new products and procedures that are more environmentally friendly. Firms are certainly working hard to reduce their eco footprint.”
In response to this new economic reality, November’s Smart Manufacturing Conference will include a ‘green panel’, led by Graham Dergens of the Environment Society of Oman. “The panel’s been specifically designed to help senior manufacturing leaders understand and implement today’s ‘green’ issues,” sys Al Hashmi. Participating on the panel is Amrou Al Sharif, CEO, Seeb Systems (pictured) a leading supplier of industrial measurement tools and services and PEIE tenant.
“We've always had a strong belief in doing our bit to protect the environment, despite the additional short-term expenses of time, money and manpower," says the Seeb Sytems’ CEO. "We believe that the long-term protection of our planet's limited natural resources is incredibly important. In fact, Seeb Systems has always made a concerted effort to offer quality automation tools and services that directly contribute to the reduction of energy and material waste,” says Al Sharif proudly.
According to Al Sharif, Seeb Systems’ online power quality monitoring solution will help Oman’s energy providers, distributors and consumers minimize electrical power waste. “Poor power management is a significant contributor to inefficient energy consumption and creation of CO2 gases,” says the young Omani engineer.
"Oman-based consumers are more environmentally conscious today and are seeking out ‘green’ products and services,” remarks Al Sharif, “but to differentiate yourself in a growing market, manufacturers need to move from just selling green products and services to becoming a ‘green’ company. It’s time we took green manufacturing to the next level in Oman and I’m confident November’s Smart Manufacturing Conference will help us achieve that goal,” claims Al Sharif.
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