The Think Blue.Factory project at VWSA managed to reduce water usage by a staggering 41%
In 2010, VWSA committed to a 25% reduction in environmental impact per vehicle.
Water is obviously one of the major areas where savings can be organised and measured.
As part of the migration plan, VW measured all systems so that they would have a base to work from. “What you can’t measure, you can’t control, you can’t better,” Nico Serfontein, head of the Paint Shop Division at VWSA, says.
One of the major overhauls was to build a more efficient press shop in Uitenhage. As part of this project, four 15 000 litre tanks were installed to capture rainwater. The water is used to top up the cooling tower. The old paint shop was also demolished and a new paint shop was built, a capacity upgrade that resulted in a saving of 205 806m3 a year.
“The paint shop uses a huge amount of water. There are also a number of processes that we need to generate water for. This is where we made progress: we made an innovation called a Nalco 3D Trasar RO that measures incoming water, then chemically doses it to the correct amount.
“Basically this means that the better we can control the quality and condition of the water, the better we can operate it and get maximum efficiency.”
Think.Blue also revolutionised spray technology, creating more efficient ways to apply the base coat and to run water systems. Weekly water checks and audits are now part of the system.
“Staff need to be part of the programme as well. How do you make sure people get involved heart and soul?”
To this end, they have a number of e-learning educational programmes designed to promote sustainability and encourage participation. They also have a permanent display set up at the entrance to the factory. The content changes according to what is happening at the time and events and activities are designed to be fun and entertaining.
The communication around water focused on how you can save water at home and in your personal space, as well as promoting good water usage at the factories and on the shop floors.
“We make changes to achieve out targets, but this is not advertising or propaganda. The aim is to get results and make progress. Our specific targets don’t stop or start — they will go on forever,” Serfontein says.
The future plan is to extend along the value chain, from suppliers to dealers and to customers.
“Our customer must be able to choose: they must be able to choose us knowing that we are the most environmentally friendly brand. We therefore have to be entirely legitimate. The changes must be real.”
Overall, Think Blue. Factory and VWSA have managed to reduce water usage by a staggering 41%, which is in excess of 270 000 cubic metres a year.