2 minute read
Sustainability
The majority of FlexQube's customers are large international companies with world-class products and manufacturing. They have strict requirements for their products in terms of sustainability, but manufacturing and factories are also becoming increasingly important from an environmental point of view.
Constantly reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from factories is becoming increasingly important in meeting tougher requirements from customers, consumers and authorities.
The factory of the future must therefore not only be smart and flexible; it must also manufacture products in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable way. There are several examples that illustrate this. Audi announced last year that its new factory for the e-tron electric car will have completely CO2-neutral manufacturing and several other automobile manufacturers are working with similar initiatives.
As a supplier of carts, FlexQube clearly cannot do everything, but there are several areas where the concept brings a great environmental benefit and can contribute to a more sustainable factory and supply chain.
In comparison with welded carts, the FlexQube modular concept makes it easier to update and rebuild an existing cart fleet. Rebuilding carts rather than buying new ones has a large positive impact on climate emissions. For every ton of cart that can be reused, CO2 emissions are reduced by 1.7 tons. In addition, customized carts that are optimized for the purpose ensure that material can be moved as efficiently as possible. This reduces traffic and energy consumption in the factory.
Energy-efficient transport to the customer
The FlexQube modular concept makes it possible to send carts as ”flat packages” and be assembled on site. This means that less empty space is transported and fewer lorries are required for transportation. ”Flat packages” have been sent from FlexQube's plant in Duncan, South Carolina to both Mexico and the US west coast. As a bonus, the customer's transport costs are lower.
Digital sales and design meetings
FlexQube's digital sales and design tool allows carts to be created efficiently without any need to visit the customer. This reduces the number of flights and automobile journeys considerably. In 2020, we have also seen a great interest in our so-called virtual demos where the customer can remotely get a product review and even control eQarts online.
Reuse
In the longer term, FlexQube sees opportunities for customers to return or sell back carts they no longer require in their operations. Thanks to the standardized concept, FlexQube can reuse many of the constituent building blocks in a cart. For example, FlexBeamsTM, which accounts for a large proportion of the value and function in a cart, can be renovated and repainted and then used by other customers and projects.
