As lower emissions become a major competitive advantage for foundries, global casting giant MAT Group is preparing to commit to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
To measure its emissions, optimise its process and move towards setting science-based emissions reduction targets, MAT Group’s EURAC foundry in Poole, UK is working closely with four of Norican’s global brands: Monitizer, DISA, Simpson and Wheelabrator. Norican signed up to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in 2021 and recently saw its carbon reduction targets validated by the SBTi.
“Customer interest in emissions has increased hugely, even in the last six months,” says Luke Batter, process development manager at MAT Group. “Our own sustainability initiatives began some years ago but now we are definitely being driven by our customers. We plan to commit to Science Based Targets (SBT) in the near future.”
The world moves to cut carbon
As markets like automotive comply with increasingly stringent environmental legislation, so their suppliers must follow. MAT must calculate how much carbon is embedded in each casting it produces because almost every quotation form it receives demands it.
“To be able to quote for new business now, you have to know your product carbon footprint,” says Batter. “All our largest customers will not accept a new RFQ without it. One of our largest customers has said that sustainability is just as important as purchase price, although they still want the lowest price per part too.”
At their UK site in Poole MAT currently calculates a per-ton figure for embedded scope 1 and 2 carbon, based on its total casting output and energy consumption. Adding in product-specific metrics like weight and yield produces a carbon footprint for each individual casting.
Tackling Scope 3
MAT uses the MonitizerÒ | DISCOVER IIoT platform to improve its process, sustainability performance, and reduce direct emissions.
DISCOVER’s dashboards already report their energy consumption per ton in real time. “What we’re aiming for is a real-time carbon metric for every sub-process and a Monitizer digital dashboard that gives us a per-batch emissions figure for each product as it’s produced,” says Batter.
Measuring scope 3 emissions is the next big challenge. MAT is gathering data as fast as it can but, with data on only ten per cent of supplier emissions, it still doesn’t have quite enough to get an accurate figure. First, it wants to be ready to commit to SBTi.
“We need to walk before we can run,” Batter explains. “We want to calculate our base emissions very accurately so we can then set targets correctly.”
Partners for a profitable, sustainable future
From reclaiming greensand to consuming one hundred per cent renewably generated electricity and piloting the Monitizer | PRESCRIBE AI-driven process optimisation solution, MAT’s Poole facility is blazing a trail for the rest of the group to follow. The global shift to sustainability is a huge opportunity to win new business – for foundries that are ready.
“All of our customers are looking at reshoring some or all of their casting production closer to where their products are assembled and sold,” says Batter. “Emissions are definitely a big part of what’s driving that.”
“Norican is quite far along in its emissions journey and its experience of SBT will be really helpful. Data is key and at the moment, Norican is the one with the most emissions data. We already have a close relationship with DISA, Monitizer, Simpson and Wheelabrator and I expect that to grow further as we commit to SBT.”
For more on Norican’s sustainability commitment, visit: www.noricangroup.com/sustainability
For more information on Science Based Targets, visit https://sciencebasedtargets.org/companies-taking-action#join