Sustainability Gains but the Technology Isn’t Always Ready
Sustainability remains in the news; however, the technology doesn’t always keep up. For example, Lego has abandoned its most high-profile effort to ditch oil-based plastics from its bricks after finding that its new material led to higher carbon emissions, according to the Financial Times. After two years of development and testing to make a brick from recycled plastic bottles rather than oil-based ABS, Lego decided that it didn’t make sense. This highlights the complexities that arise when conflicts exist in achieving goals. For example, in the Lego situation, eliminating the use of fossil fuels and reducing carbon emissions came into conflict.
Logistics Experts Staying Up at Night
In Southern California, there are several regulations going into effect where the technology is simply not ready and will not be ready on time. Thus, Logistics executives say this topic keeps them up at night. For example, there are several trucking regulations that cannot be met with the technologies available, the lack of charging stations, and lack of power. To hear more about manufacturing and supply chain geopolitical and regulatory issues, watch our recent webinar.
Yet Significant Progress Abounds
On the other hand, significant progress abounds. The goods movement industry has invested significantly and was focused on sustainability long before regulations came into the picture. When industry is unencumbered and engaged, dramatic results will follow. For example, according to the PMSA, the ports and supporting transportation community has achieved landmark progress in reducing emissions.
In their press release, PMSA reported that the San Pedro Bay Ports together saw steep and dramatic reductions in 2022; combined numbers reveal drops of 90% for diesel particulate matter (DPM), 97% for sulfur oxides (SOx), 63% for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and equally remarkable declines for other emission categories, compared to the baseline year of 2005.
On the manufacturing front, sustainability has gained momentum. The triple bottom line is abundant for those manufacturers following common sense good manufacturing processes. For example, read our Adhesives & Sealants article, “Common Sense Manufacturing Processes Drive Sustainability Improvements“.
The Bottom Line
Use common sense, take smart risks with good potential to yield sustainability results, positively impacting the triple bottom line, and chalk R&D and trials up to part of the process. On the other hand, don’t throw money down the drain in the name of sustainability when what you are positively impacting in the US will be more than offset in China (as an example). After all, that is not common sense!
About LMA Consulting Group — Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD
Lisa Anderson is the founder and president of LMA Consulting Group, Inc., specializing in manufacturing strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation. She focuses on maximizing the customer experience and enabling profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth. Ms. Anderson is a recognized Supply Chain thought leader by SelectHub, named a Top 40 B2B Tech Influencer by Arketi group, a Top 50 ERP Influencer by Washington-Frank, one of the most influential in Supply Chain by SAP and a woman leader in Supply Chain by RateLinx. She was recently interviewed on Fox News, has published special reports with a supply chain focus: Thriving in 2022: Learning from Supply Chain Chaos — Insights from 22 Trusted Advisors and the eBook, Future-Proofing Manufacturing & the Supply Chain Post COVID-19, as well as her primer, I’ve Been Thinking, strategies for creating bold customer promises and profits. A contributor on topics including a superior customer experience with SIOP, advancing innovation, and making the supply chain resilient, Ms. Anderson is regularly interviewed and quoted by publications such as Industry Week, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal. For information, sign up for her Profit Through People® Newsletter or for a copy of her book, visit LMA-ConsultingGroup.com.
