Eurostat (European Commission’s data analysis division) statistics show that recycled waste materials account for nearly 12% of material resources used in the European Union. In contrast, Ireland uses only 2% of its material resources from recycled materials. This growing emphasis on sustainability and the increasing relevance of legislation such as The Circular Economy and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 (the Act) of Ireland have highlighted the importance of organisations becoming more environmentally responsible. The Act significantly impacts food and beverage manufacturers due to the high impact of single-use plastic packaging on the environment. The food and beverage industry substantially contributes to the Irish economy, generating over €30 billion in annual sales and accounting for 7% of total employment.
A CMMS in support of sustainability drivers
The migration from a traditional economy model where resources are mined, made into products and then become waste to a circular economy model, which aims to reduce, redesign, and recapture material, products and services, is arduous. However, future-focused organisations seeking holistic sustainability should be open to more than just rethinking their packaging materials. It is essential also to consider the role of a computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) in promoting sustainability. Implementing an effective CMMS or enterprise asset management system (EAMS), such as On Key EAM, can significantly improve an organisation’s sustainability efforts by enhancing asset performance while reducing costs and risks.
On Key EAM is a CMMS/EAM system that has gained global recognition in the industry for its exceptional performance. It is listed as one of the leaders on the Verdantix Green Quadrant for Industrial EAM Software 2022.
A CMMS, like On Key EAM, plays a vital role in enabling effective physical asset management for sustainability. A CMMS is a software tool that allows organisations to manage their maintenance activities, track asset performance and identify opportunities for optimisation. On Key EAM can play a significant role in enabling circularity criteria for food and beverage manufacturers who have invested extensively in their equipment.
As illustrated in the examples below, you can deduce that an accurate, up-to-date asset register, data velocity and integration with other ERP systems are major factors to consider when selecting a CMMS. Here are a few instances of how On Key can help organisations to become more sustainable:
- Extending asset lifespan: By continuously monitoring equipment performance and scheduling regular maintenance and repairs, potential issues can be identified before they become significant problems, ensuring that assets remain functional for extended periods. On Key is an example of a CMMS that enables preventive and predictive equipment maintenance to achieve maximum uptime. As a result, breakdowns and downtime are minimised.
- Refurbishing costly machinery or equipment: On Key can help companies track each asset’s maintenance history and repair records, making it easier to identify equipment that could be upcycled or refurbished. By tracking the history of each asset, the CMMS can provide valuable information about the age, usage, and condition of each asset, making it easier to make informed decisions about refurbishment or repurposing.
- Material recovery: On Key can help companies track and manage the end-of-life of each asset, making it easier to identify materials that can be recovered, recycled or repurposed. By tracking the asset lifecycle, the CMMS can provide valuable information about the materials used in each asset, making it easier to recover valuable materials at the end of their useful life.
- Centralised maintenance management: Sharing spare parts between multiple sites using a CMMS can promote sustainability by reducing waste and increasing efficiency by minimising the need for duplicate inventory, reducing downtime, and minimising transportation. This approach can also save costs and help combat climate change by reducing carbon emissions.
- Collaborating with suppliers and contractors: A CMMS can help companies track supplier performance and manage the supply chain more effectively. By using the CMMS to track supplier and contractors’ performance metrics such as delivery times, quality and sustainability, companies can make informed decisions about sourcing materials from sustainable sources or implementing take-back programmes for end-of-life products. A CMMS like On Key EAM can also facilitate cost benchmarking, and route planning, ultimately helping suppliers and contractors to lower their carbon footprint while optimising costs.
Perpetual CMMS optimisation
A CMMS can facilitate companies to implement circular economy principles and legislative requirements and achieve sustainability goals by leveraging valuable information about equipment and supplier performance. Companies can reduce waste, save costs and minimise environmental impact by making informed asset management and supply chain optimisation decisions. On Key EAM is a powerful tool that can help food and beverage manufacturers in Ireland and across the globe improve their operations, ensure compliance and become more sustainable. Companies can increase uptime and support their sustainability initiatives without compromise by optimising maintenance operations, managing inventory efficiently, and continuously improving processes and operations.
On Key EAM is the preferred maintenance management system of Tetra Pak and Massmart’s African-based subsidiary, Massmart.