Page 44 - Packaging News Nov-Dec 2019

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PACK PRINTING & DECORATION
Sun shines brightly on Impact
It has been a big year for Australian tube manufacturer and printer Impact International. In the wake of its 60th anniversary last year, the company has scooped up a swag of awards for its sustainability initiatives and printing excellence. Lindy Hughson caught up with MD Aleks Lajovic at the company’s Smithfield, NSW facility.
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November-December 2019
NE of the main reasons I make the trek out to Smithfield is to see Impact International’s so- lar farm installation in situ: it’s been up and running for just over a year and I’m keen to know how it’s benefiting the
business. As I arrive at reception my question is answered – well, for that day at least. There’s a screen on dis- play tracking in real time how much energy is being generated and what that equates to in terms of carbon emissions reduction. Seeing the fig- ures tick up as you watch makes the process tangible, and serves to emit a feel-good vibe at the frontline of the business. So we’re off to a good start.
MD Aleks Lajovic is enthusiastic: “It’s tracking really, really well. When we did the installation, we analysed 30 years of Bureau of Me- teorology records and we came up with a plan for how much energy we should be generating. And, prob- ably due to the drought, we’ve had more sunshine than expected so we’ve managed to exceed our planned energy generation over the last 12 to 14 months.
“On average, we’re doing about 1.4 megawatts or 1400 kilowatts of ener- gy per day. And that’s equal to reduction in carbon emissions of around 1200 to 1300 kilograms per day,” he says.
Lajovic explains that as a result, the business is generating around
twenty-five to thirty per cent of its own energy requirements.
“Because we are a three-shift operation, working 24 hours a day, five days a week, sometimes even six days a week, we are not energy self- sufficient when the sun goes down.
“Our goal from the outset has been to be completely self-sufficient during the daylight hours on a sunny day,” he adds.
The solar installation was a pio- neering move by Impact, and a size- able investment. Commenting on how soon the company will see a return, Lajovic says that being a family-owned company means the sense of urgency around delivering an ROI is lower, and they’re looking ataseven-toeight-yearpaybackperiod.
In the meantime, the environmen- tal benefits are felt across the busi- ness, and flowing on to customers. In fact, some customers have followed Impact’s example, installing their own solar systems – and, of course, using a supplier whose tube production is carbon neutral is a plus for brand owners when it comes to meeting their own sustainable packaging targets.
Another way Impact has reduced its energy consumption, Lajovic tells PKN, has been to upgrade equipment to incorporate energy- efficient motors and to streamline processes that are energy intensive. Increased automation between each
Our goal from the outset has been to be completely self-sufficient during the daylight hours on a sunny day.”