A lighter than normal turnout and a challenging topic had an impact on the SIG event hosted by our friends at High Liner Foods. The event started with round table introductions and EMC updates on programs like our expanding Purchasing Coop, THRC Online Training opportunities as well as a reminder to use EMC's Member Needs Help as a conduit from your computer to the knowledge and experience of thousands of people in manufacturing willing to share and help you with your day to day challenges. An example was shown in the form of five supplier assessment forms, to be used for the SIG, which were gathered using MNH by asking to see the responses to a members question on the subject. Powerful stuff!

Eight participants from five member companies heard first from Alan Power, Manager of Engineering and Maintenance at High Liner, about steps the Lunenburg operation has taken to lessen the use of the local municipal landfill, reduce power consumption, reclaim previously lost heat, reuse items in the plant and generally run a tight "ship" from an environmental perspective. The facility in Lunenburg has, in the last decade, reinvented itself and transformed from a labour intensive harvester and processor of wet fish to a modern, high capacity, automated food processing facility. The need to address the environmental issues they were facing were driven by many factors with the two most prominent being the cost of waste (all forms) and the increasing demands of their clients who have a growing influence on the products they buy. More on that later.....

Back in the plant, Alan explained that they have been working with Efficiency Nova Scotia to reduce their energy consumption (a big deal in an area where power rates do nothing but climb),have put in place a waste sorting program that ensures recyclable products get to where the need to, clean and sorted properly, have installed equipment that automatically separates items such as excess crumbs and batter from the cooking process from the oil they were cooked in. The oil is redirected and is combined with the oil used to heat the facility while the crumbs, now oil free, are taken to the regional compost facility.

Three benefits of the program were obvious to those in attendance.

Cost. Managing waste within the facility lowers the cost of dealing with it once it leaves the facility. An awareness of power usage, equipment demands and changes to equipment has slowed the spinning of the power meter. Reclaiming oil reduces the number of times they need to fill the Bunker C tank to heat the plant.

Pride in the Facility. You would expect a food processing facility to be clean, but this facility, assisted by its waste management programs and equipment, is REALLY clean. This is evidence that the staff are on board and supportive of a program and take pride in what they are doing and where they work.

World Class business operating in a demanding, customer driven world. As noted earlier, High Liner has successfully reinvented itself at a time when resources were challenged, world demand was changing, globalization was developing and clients / consumers were becoming savvier and demanding more of their suppliers.  

Lee talks to the group on what Sustainability means to High Liner...

With a more global perspective in mind the group was joined by Lee Obritsch, VP Canadian Plant Operations who gave the group the 30,000ft perspective on what sustainability means to High Liner. Customer demand on suppliers for traceability, sustainability, environmental stewardship and reducing the carbon footprint of the products they sell have impacted the way High Liner works locally as well as globally and how it interacts with its own suppliers.

The message Lee gave to the group was to not think of Sustainability as a "big company" problem that will not impact their businesses. It is a subject and a part of business that impacts us all. Even if you do not sell directly to Wal-Mart (as an example, see attached Wal-Mart supplier audit form) you may supply a component to someone who does and they will be expecting you, along with them, to be able to comply with the new standard of supplier expectations or risk losing the business.

Please have a look at the attached overview of everything High Liner is doing toward functioning today and tomorrow as a sustainable business.

Getting to know our hosts a little better....

There is no question on what goes where at High Liner...

The group discussions after the plant tour focussed on sustainability and what it means to those in attendance.

By definition sustainability is...meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

This is a short and vague description for a subject that is complex and has many components. Items such as resource management, supplier relations, community involvement, and waste management are a few aspects of running a business that will impact your ability to sustain your operation. The group discussion showed that for some sustainability was not on their radar while for others such as our host it is a critical part of how they operate on a day to day business.

Some examples of what businesses should be aware of when thinking long term sustainability could include.

• Collecting the data to show where the opportunities exist can be an exercise in itself and you need to engage your people. Is your staff aware that you are interested and concerned about sustainability.
• Set in place a five year sustainability plan with realistic, measurable and achievable short and long term goals. Have you written your plan down and publicized it?
• Think about how you are managing your product and communicating your "green" initiatives to your customers.   Have you changed your website, letterhead or packaging to promote your success? (Clearly Green at Kohler Windows is a great example...
• How is your supply chain producing your product - can they reduce their footprint? Do you know your suppliers (not your distributors) well? Do you audit them?
• A good company needs a good community and vice versa. What are you doing in the community to improve it or to contribute to its improvement?
• What is in your garbage cans? Have you conducted a waste audit to see what is going to landfill and where the opportunities might lie?
• Do you have purchasing policies that focus on sustainability? Are you using sustainable forestry paper products, recycled / recyclable components, etc.
• Can you reduce the packaging element of your product? Do you think about packaging and product design and its impact on the environment, your image AND your bottom line?
• Are you tracking utilities?  Energy? Have you made any changes as a result?
• Are there opportunities to reuse process heat - recycling it through the plant to heat the building, etc.? What about alternative energy sources?
• Are you staying in touch with regional demographics? Aging populations, rising real estate prices, closing schools all impediments to having a dependable local work force...what can be done?
• S#!t happens... Do you AND your suppliers have disaster plans in place?

REMEMBER....

Eat the elephant one bite at a time....

A good culture of sustainability will eat a great sustainability plan for breakfast!

Thinking green is good for your environment, your image and your bottom line...

Thanks again to Alan and Lee and the folks at High Liner, your support for EMC is appreciated and your desire to share your knowledge shows you care about the businesses in your region.