PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ROADMAPS TO SUSTAINABILITY, EFFICIENCY AND COST SAVINGS In the face of accelerating climate change, stringent government regulations and growing consumer demand for sustainable products, tire manufacturers are at a crossroads Energy management Below: With energy management key to optimizing production for sustainability, it is important to partner with experienced industry experts capable of offering a range of solutions T he tire industry faces the urgent task of redefining its operations to align with the principles of sustainability. This is an enormous challenge but also a unique opportunity to make a significant contribution to environmental protection while improving operational efficiency and reducing costs. The quest for sustainability in tire production raises a complex web of issues that reflect the multifaceted challenges companies face in making this transition. But the most fundamental question for tire manufacturers is an introspective one: Where does my company stand today in terms of sustainability and decarbonization? Assessing the current state of a company’s sustainability practices and carbon footprint is essential for setting realistic goals, tracking progress and making the necessary adjustments to align with global climate targets and stakeholder expectations. This assessment forms the basis of a customized strategic roadmap to a more sustainable and resilient future. There are three key pillars of sustainability in the tire industry. Effective energy management is the cornerstone of achieving sustainability and operational efficiency in tire manufacturing. Siemens offers a range of solutions that enable manufacturers to significantly reduce energy consumption while maintaining production efficiency. At the heart of these solutions is Simatic Energy Manager. This ISO 50001-certified solution enables enterprise-wide energy management and provides the transparency needed to improve efficiency throughout the plant. Seamless integration of metering devices is essential for comprehensive on-site data collection and full transparency. The Simatic S7 Energy Efficiency Monitor plays a key role in standardized machine efficiency assessment. By offering a clear view of energy consumption at the machine level, it enables manufacturers to find inefficiencies and optimize performance. It integrates energy data collection, enabling intelligent energy monitoring from data collection to proactive load management to prevent peaks, a critical part of effective load management. Overall, Siemens’ energy management solutions provide tire manufacturers with a clear path to reduce energy consumption, improve operational efficiency and achieve sustainability goals without making big process changes. The focus stays on delivering substantial, measurable benefits through intelligent energy use and management. CO 2 transparency The carbon footprint has taken center stage as a critical indicator of a company’s commitment to sustainability. For tire manufacturers, understanding, calculating and reporting CO 2 emissions means categorizing emissions into different scopes to comprehensively address both direct and indirect emissions. To effectively track and manage carbon footprints within the production process and supply chain, companies need end-to-end visibility. Reliable and verifiable data on materials, components and processes is essential to accurately quantify the CO 2 emissions for each product. This is where 74 www.tiretechnologyinternational.com March 2024