Special Reads
Improving Manufacturing Efficiencies
MHEL doubles energy productivity
In March 2020 Mahindra Heavy Engines Limited attained the feat of doubling energy productivity in a span of four years. Averred Vijay Kalra, Chief Executive Officer at Mahindra Vehicle Manufacturers Ltd. & Chief Manufacturing Operations at Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., “It was looking difficult. We were targeting for the next 15 years but it happened in four years. “Cost and energy efficiency are two major factors when we talk about energy productivity. Energy productivity improvement is known to have tangible and intangible benefits to up the sustainability of manufacturing plants,” he explained. Doubling over the 2016 baseline, MHEL Chakan unit, according to Kalra is claimed to have become India’s first and the world’s third manufacturing unit to achieve the feat. EP Mike Peirce, Corporate Partnerships Director, The Climate Group said, “By integrating smarter energy use into their business strategy, they are driving down greenhouse gas emissions while boosting the bottom line. MHEL is the first EP100 member from India to achieve this ambitious goal and is leading by example”.
MHEL has prepared a sustainability framework. Under the framework, sustainability efforts were focussed on fostering inclusive development.
The company aimed at rejuvenating the environment by achieving carbon neutrality, ensuring no wastage in the landfill and by promoting biodiversity. MHEL is known to have achieved this through energyefficient lighting, energy-efficient airconditioning, energy-efficient motors and appliances, usage of alternative fuels, smart metering for real-time monitoring of energy consumption along with other natural resources. The company also ensured manufacturing efficiency improvement through cycle time reduction, production shift optimisation, resource optimisation and built-in flexibility in the process to avoid ad-hoc addition of equipment.
Under an efficient motor program, the company is known to have replaced 800 motors with an investment of 3.4 crores. It is claimed to have resulted in savings of 1281-tonnes of CO2 per year. Mentioned Nasir Deshmukh, Head of Manufacturing Operations at MHEL (Chakan and Igatpuri Engine plant) that at the Chakan unit of MHEL, daily operations of 816 units of light and heavy machines (CNC and special pumps) translated to a high operational cost which the company is said to have reduced by a margin of approx 30 per cent. Other focus areas include growing green revenue, making supply chains sustainable, embracing technology and innovation. MHEL according to Anirban Ghosh, Chief Sustainability Officer at Mahindra Group is also focussing on Energy Management System (ISO50001) certification, smart metering, energy data analysis, review and actions, facilitation for project implementation, resource optimisation, flexibility in manufacturing, green procurement guideline and energy audits to its advantage. Drawing attention to 70 per cent of the plant operations cost being a direct outcome of energy utilisation, claimed Ghosh, returns on energy productivity investments were up to 24 per cent.