Innovation

Essen proclaims to be one of the largest EVA products supplier to Ikea, from India. With this tag of success, comes the negative effect of plastic waste generation while production.

In order to eradicate this issue, the company has devised a method to dispose off the EVA product waste by regrinding it in a machine that has been designed and fabricated by the organization itself.

EVA as a material is sturdy, but once the waste is melted for grinding and reuse, it turns yellowish due to the high temperature of the melt. To avoid these deformities, and to reduce the amount of waste produced during production, a simple yet efficient grinding machine was devised. Over the years, the company has managed to save tons of waste production by recycling and reusing it to produce new products and thus ensuring circular productivity.

Apart from reducing waste, this initiative also helps in reducing the usage of virgin polymer material, thus ensuring that the company does its bit of environmental protection, via sustainable sourcing and utilization.

The company has also undertaken a project, where marine plastic waste is collected, washed and cleaned properly, dried and then ground to make new products. These initiatives to save the environment, while making innovative products and ensuring higher profitability, is what sets Essen apart from the other players in the segment.

Additionally, the company has set up a rooftop solar panel system, that produces electricity, which can handle 1/3rd of the total production requirement (of electricity).

Future plans for expansion in a sustainable manner involve, getting over the need for diesel for various production activities. Essen has been actively working towards procurement and utilization of biofuels, to reduce the carbon emission and ultimately reduce its carbon footprint.

Apart from recycling the marine plastic waste, the company has also tied up with its clients in India, i.e. Ikea, to collect the waste plastic items from their stores and distribution centers to recycle it and sell it back to them for resale in their stores. This ensures, a check on the amount of plastic products in the system and society.

Essen has also undertaken a large scale landscaping project, so as to increase the aesthetic beauty of the institution while helping the employees enjoy the fresh air and shade in the semi-arid region of Gujarat.

Championing through waste disposal for a sustainable tomorrow

Inspiration

"Inspiration comes from the necessity to save the environment," said the young leader, Mr. Pallav Doshi. According to him, when a company is involved in the production of goods that are less perishable or non-perishable in the natural course of time, it becomes the responsibility of the producer to devise innovative ideas, thoughts, and techniques that protect the nature from the garbage generated as a result of using plastic products.

With the world moving towards a sustainable future, it is important to be a part of the change based system to remain relevant in the market.

"When the customers know that the products they are buying are environment-friendly, the raw material is sourced sustainably and the waste generated as a result of production activities is almost completely recycled, they feel more responsible, and this helps the company sell better products in large amounts."

"Only when we take care of the environment, will there be a future", were the thoughts that were shared by the other directors of the firm.

By grinding and reusing the materials, the waste dumped in the landfills gets reduced and by utilizing renewable energy the amount of non-renewable energy like diesel, etc. used are saved.

The various stakeholders of the company, including the employees, undertake the responsibility of making quality products and also realize the importance of saving the environment for a better future of the upcoming generations.

"We love working on the various sustainability projects, that not only help us save the environment, but also provide us with an opportunity to innovate and produce custom solutions to our niche problems" were the words of the Environment, Health and Safety officer, Mr. Mangesh.

Overall impact

Short term benefits:

The reduction in waste production from its operation processes

Long term benefits:

• Sustainable sourcing

• Effective and efficient supply chain management with reduced waste of raw material resulting from improper sourcing

• Saving the non-renewable sources of energy with attempts to switch to renewable solar energy

• Utilization of MSS-FSC certified paper for most of its labels ensures proper tracking of the sources of paper production and reduces deforestation and non-ethical sourcing.

• Enhancement of the brand value of the institution, since it works on different principles of sustainability,

• Enhanced consumer perception of the products, since they are recycled and innovative

Future goals:

• Switch to bio-fuel for energy production that will result in low carbon emission and help save the environment in the long run, by reducing the company's carbon footprint.

Business benefit

With these innovations, the company has helped improve the environmental conditions as well as upliftment of society.

Apart from a dedicated team for recycling, the company ensures the employment of local people around the villages under the various departments.

The skills developed and learned by the employee on-the-job is an example of skill enhancement. Both unskilled and skilled laborers are at an advantage compared to the other people in the job pool, in the market.

Based on their initiatives IKEA has given the firm a score of 73 on its indigenous sustainability index. The share of renewable content in plastic supplied to IKEA is approximately 25%. This means that 25% of the total product sold to IKEA by the organization is made out of recycled material. This ensures that 25% (approx.) less virgin raw material is used, which means the environment is saved by the organization annually, by an amount equal to 25% of production.

The sustainability index score has been generated on the various parameters such as sourcing of energy, water, procurement of chemicals and sourcing of materials (Both packaging and raw materials).

With their recent initiative to reduce the amount of marine plastic waste, they have expanded their boundaries to reduce waste and push for a sustainable aquatic life. This deep understanding of waste disposal techniques can be leveraged to educate employees about different materials, and processes, related to sustainability and recycling.

Social and environmental benefit

Since the new generation today, or the youth to be precise, have become very sensitive and conscious about what they use, there is a constant need to keep innovating. The change in trends is evident, with people shifting towards more viable options over plastic and other nonrecyclable materials.

In order to stand apart from the crowd, Essen as a company is trying to make a difference by helping people. this is done via various initiatives like

• By providing them with job opportunities that enhance their skillset
• By working in collaboration with the government, to overcome the waste creation issue, by developing technologies for proper and efficient waste disposal
• Recycling the waste that is already being generated as a by-product of production processes, as well as some amount that is generated by the users.

With reduced consumption of electricity, Essen has managed to save more for use by others. The installation top-quality solar panel grid has enabled the institute to set an example in the industry, that even through sustainable techniques, one can make profits.

Interviews

Pallav Doshi, Director

Lakshmi R, Director