Innovative technology has DEEP impact in carbon reduction for Encirc
Leading glass container manufacturer, Encirc (a Vidrala company), is set to reduce its carbon output in its Elton facility by more than 15.6 thousand tonnes a year by installing a new, intelligent end-to-end process control system.
The company has been awarded Government funding from the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to begin its ‘DEEP Control Project’, (‘Deployment of End-to-End Process control for Encirc’s Elton site’). The industry-leading technology will allow the container producer to optimise its furnaces to run at minimum viable energy, delivering huge carbon reduction levels every year, while also improving productivity and product quality.
The DEEP Control project, which will digitally link the furnaces to Encirc’s 14 production lines, is being carried out in partnership with the UK’s leading specialists in glass, The STFC Hartree Centre, Glass Futures and Siemens.
The new system will also further increase the value of Encirc’s world-first ‘Industry 4.0-Ready’ glass production line, built at the end of 2020, which uses cutting-edge technology to ensure that glassmaking is safer, easier and more efficient than ever before.
Paddy O’Doherty, Encirc’s Deputy Operations Director and Project Lead commented: “Glass is not only a historic material, it’s the packaging choice of the future. Glass’s sustainability benefits are unparalleled, but we know there is work to be done in further reducing the carbon output of the production process.
“Industry leading projects such as this help us boost production, upskill our workforce and reduce our carbon footprint in line with consumer demands for more sustainable products. This is just one part of glass’s decarbonisation challenge. We are also pushing the boundaries when it comes to using more innovative fuels, such as with our recent biofuel project in Derrylin, which created what is the world’s most sustainable bottle to date.
“We’re also championing better, more innovative ways to encourage glass recycling once our products are in the market, and we’re an active supporter of the implementation of a Digital Deposit Return Scheme (DDRS) across the UK.
“As with all of our projects, collaboration and knowledge-sharing is key, which is why we work with game changing organisations such as The STFC Hartree Centre, Glass Futures and Siemens to ensure we are always at the forefront of production.
For more information about Encirc, visit www.encirc360.com.