The Electric Edge

The cement industry produces around ten million tpy of portland cement, contributing nearly £1 billion to the UK economy each year. As a fundamental part of building many structures, it is one of the most widely used materials on a global scale and indirectly supports millions of job roles in the UK. While both the concrete and cement industries greatly help the economy, they unfortunately also contribute significantly to carbon dioxide emissions. This is due to the production techniques used by manufacturers, which are often carbon-intensive, involving fuel combustion, clinker production, and electricity usage. As a result, many manufacturers are becoming more green-minded, with the aim of playing a vital role in helping the UK to achieve its net zero goals.

Decarbonisation in the cement industry

A study by Cambridge University in 2023 explored potential solutions for decarbonising the cement industry, finding that embracing innovative technologies and energy-efficient products could go a long way in reducing carbon emissions.1 SEW-EURODRIVE has experience in talking to and producing solutions for cement and concrete companies looking to increase the energy efficiency of their operations. The company has worked with Rapid International for 17 years, a leading manufacturers of equipment for the concrete, construction, and environmental industries, and the manufacturer of choice for many of the major global concrete and construction groups. Since its establishment in 1969, Rapid International has pioneered game-changing mixing technology, and now has a presence in more than twenty countries worldwide via a wide-reaching international dealer network. With Rapid International continuously striving to build on its industry-leading technology, SEW-EURODRIVE has spent the last few years assisting in the quest to become more energy-efficient and lead decarbonisation in the concrete and cement industries.

Boosting energy efficiency with electric drives

A key part of achieving decarbonisation is increasing energy efficiency, something that is becoming increasingly important to both Rapid International and its customers alike. Rapid International needs to ensure it stays at the forefront of industrial advances by supplying products that could meet future sustainability goals. One way of supplying more sustainable products is through the inclusion of electric drives.

Electric drives are a specialism of SEW-EURODRIVE, which supplies Rapid International with IE3 motors, offering a premium level of efficiency. IE3 motors are better for the environment and can also help companies save on energy bills in the long run, making them ideal for concrete and cement companies looking to increase their overall energy efficiency.

Electric motors are more efficient than traditional mechanical systems and can significantly reduce energy consumption, offering higher operational control and lower operating costs.

The electrification of processes used in the cement and concrete production sectors reduces the need for fuel-driven engines, thereby reducing the amount of greenhouse gases generated by the industries and helping pave the way to a greener future.

Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power can also be utilised as part of an electric drive system, further reducing carbon emissions.

In addition to providing higher efficiency, electric drives offer greater reliability for cement and concrete production lines. Modern drive systems are built with high durability in mind, able to withstand the strong forces used in the production of heavy materials, therefore reducing potential downtime and minimising maintenance needs.

Via SEW-EURODRIVE, Rapid International has access to a vast range of electric drives suited to the various applications used within concrete and cement processing.

Reducing the carbon footprint with products that are serviceable worldwide

Beyond using more energy efficient products, a good way for manufacturers to reduce their carbon footprint is to minimise the amount of time that engineers spend travelling – both by plane and vehicle – to visit customers and perform maintenance services. Rapid International works on one to two large plant projects every year, along with over 20 smaller projects in various locations. SEW-EURODRIVE supplies drives and geared motors for the machinery used across these projects. With customers located everywhere from the UK and Ireland to Canada, the USA, and even as far afield as Saudi Arabia, the carbon emissions generated by SEW-EURODRIVE engineers making regular trips would counteract the significant progress made in improving energy efficiency.

This is where SEW-EURODRIVE's global base comes in handy. With manufacturing sites and engineering centres based across the world, Rapid International’s customers are never far away from an engineer, no matter where they are based. Using products that are serviceable globally means that engineers never have to travel far to make repairs or conduct regular maintenance tasks, reducing fuel consumption, and therefore further minimising carbon emissions. When thinking about decarbonisation, manufacturers have to think about much more than production processes; to truly achieve sustainability goals, every single process needs to be made as green as possible.

Reducing waste and mistakes with easy ordering processes

Another way of streamlining processes is by using online ordering systems. When placing product orders over the phone or via email, it is easy to make mistakes, which can be potentially costly for both businesses involved.

Mistakes increase the number of products that are unnecessarily produced and wasted, not to mention the additional miles traveled to deliver unwanted items.

This increases carbon emissions unnecessarily, and contributes to the 40 million tpy of waste generated by the manufacturing industry.2

While it is impossible to completely eliminate mistakes from processes, online ordering systems can significantly reduce the risk of miscommunications and errors, such as misheard or incorrectly written details.

Rapid International utilises SEW-EURODRIVE's online ordering system to get instant quotes on drives. These quotes are complete with all the information they need to know, including the oil quantities needed for maintenance.

Rapid International can also access DXF (used for sharing drawing data) and STEP files (used for 3D modelling), enabling engineers to make an informed choice on which products to buy.

The large amount of information that can be supplied by SEW-EURODRIVE aids with the efficiency and speed of Rapid International’s manufacturing process, reducing the need for lengthy back and forth discussions about drive and motor specifications needed.

Whilst online ordering systems have existed for a long time, not every company or industry is quick enough to embrace and use newer technology. Although introducing new systems and processes can sometimes be difficult, it is important to work through teething issues in order to feel the long-term benefits, such as increased efficiency and productivity.

How energy efficiency, worldwide service, and simple ordering systems has a positive impact

By embracing innovation, high expertise, and worldwide service availability, Rapid International have been able to secure its position as a world leading manufacturer. Going forward, SEW-EURODRIVE's energy efficient drives will help in generating further sales for Rapid International, as more customers turn to energy efficient options.

The speed of SEW-EURODRIVE’s ordering system means Rapid International can continue to quickly turn around projects globally, with support provided to customers across the world. As Rapid International looks to continue its expansion in Ireland, SEW-EURODRIVE's same day delivery and build option means the company can accelerate its manufacturing process, further increasing overall efficiency.

Duncan Wilson, engineering director at Rapid International, spoke about the impact of SEW-EURODRIVE on Rapid International’s product provisions and processes, saying: “The team at SEW-EURODRIVE has always been incredibly supportive to us over the many years we’ve worked together. The high standard of the products from SEW means we’ve never had an issue with what they’ve supplied to us, and any time we’ve had a problem, even when it’s not a fault on their end, they’ve always been on hand to help us fix it. We have a great working relationship with them, and we’ve come to really know the brilliant team of engineers that SEW has. Long may the partnership continue.”

The effort needed to achieve decarbonisation in the cement and concrete industries

Achieving decarbonisation is not a single company effort. It requires everybody to work together in tandem, collaborating closely to implement the best practices for reducing carbon emissions. Sharing knowledge and maintaining regular communication with suppliers, contractors, and government officials will be essential in reaching sustainability goals. The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) have called for the complete decarbonisation of the industry by 2050. The next few years will be pivotal for the industry, and it is important that collaboration and innovation remains at the centre of all ideas in the quest for a net-zero future.

References

1. Cambridge University (2023) – https://www.cisl.cam.ac.uk/files/sectoral_case_study_cement.pdf

2. The Manufacturer (2024) – https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/how-the-manufacturing-sector-is-tackling-waste/

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