Kordsa Ceo Cenk Alper Speaks at the Financial Times Conference Organized in London: “We are Creating Value by Consuming Less Resources”
29 April 2017
Tags : circular economy,
creating value,
tire forum,
economy,
financial times,
innovation,
nylon 6.6,
reinforcement technologies,
remaking manufacturing,
summit,
tire
Kordsa CEO Cenk Alper spoke at the “Future of Manufacturing Summit” organized by the Financial Times in London. Addressing the session on “Remaking Manufacturing – Circular Economy Opportunities”, Alper explained the link between maintaining a sustainable brand, the manufacturing process, and the value created for customers.
Speaking at the session “Remaking Manufacturing – Circular Economy Opportunities” in the summit organized by the Financial Times, Cenk Alper emphasised that the company’s strategies are based on sustainable and profitable growth. Pointing out that Kordsa follows the objectives of consuming less while manufacturing, meeting a zero-waste target, and offering customers value-creating products that can serve the circular economy, Alper went on to say the following: “Today, it is the circular economy that determines the manufacturing processes we industrialists use. All of us are searching for ways to use natural resources in a more efficient manner. At Kordsa, what makes our manufacturing processes more efficient is our approach to sustainability. By employing measures such as consuming less water and saving energy, we abide by the sustainability principle and do our bit to protect the planet.
Alper continued by saying: “In accordance with the concept of the circular economy, we have integrated sustainability programmes into our manufacturing processes, so as to reduce consumption of already limited natural resources. We apply the principles of zero-waste, energy saving and minimal water consumption during manufacturing. Thanks to our wastewater treatment plant, we are able to recover and reuse at least 25% of the wastewater generated during manufacturing. We are working to a goal of zero-waste while manufacturing nylon 6.6 products, the field in which we have become the global leader. All the waste generated during manufacturing is used in adjacent markets. On the other hand, our energy-saving program means that we aim to consume on average 10-15% less energy. The good news is that, by means of the award-winning energy-saving program that we launched in 2014, we are now able to use less energy in our manufacturing process, and we have also succeeded in reducing our carbon emission rate. These developments are encouraging.
As well as taking a responsible approach in the manufacturing process, we are also trying to ensure that the products in our sector remain part of the circular economy. Within the tire reinforcement market, of which we are the leader, the main issue is how to reduce fuel consumption at a time when tires are getting ever lighter in weight. We are undertaking innovations to make tires even lighter, and we are also contributing to fuel-saving. Not only have we made tires lighter, but we have also made the technology associated with them greener still. We have eliminated Formaldehyde from the process of adhering tire reinforcement products to rubber and have introduced a new chemical bath to that end. This new green bath represents an important step for occupational health and safety. We are working to spread this innovative technology across the world and in so doing to transform the tire industry.
Back in 2015, we transferred our experience in tire reinforcement technologies to the composite technologies that will serve the circular economy. Now, with the help of composite technologies, we are able to make parts of vehicles even lighter. In this way, by helping to produce lighter aircraft and lighter vehicles, we will contribute to reduced fuel consumption.”
Cenk Alper ended with these words:
“In the field of composite reinforcement technologies, the most exciting outcome of our circular economy approach is the Composite Technologies Center of Excellence. This is the first time in Turkey that industry and a university have been brought together under one roof. The Center is an important ecosystem, housing the entire cycle, extending from R&D to the manufacturing process. The cycle will start with R&D activities related to the new product in question. It will continue with production of the first prototype of this innovative product, followed by commercialisation processes. Academics and engineers will pool their brains, in a single location. Through the value created in this ecosystem, we are trying to position Turkey as a major global site of technological innovation.”
Tags : circular economy,
creating value,
tire forum,
economy,
financial times,
innovation,
nylon 6.6,
reinforcement technologies,
remaking manufacturing,
summit,
tire