Businesses in pulp, paper and packaging in United States are achieving sustainability performance improvements and productivity gains. The 2014 Sustainability Report by the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) outlines the sector's metrics and progress towards sustainability goals for 2020. Key points are also summarised in a video on YouTube. Achievements include: 63% recycling rate for paper 15% reduction in GHG emissions compared to 2005 8% reduction in … [Read more...]
The Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association (PACIA) represents businesses across the Australian chemicals and plastics industry. Their free 8 step guide to sustainability in the supply chain provides a guide, supporting tools and case studies. See http://www.supplychainsustainability.org.au/ … [Read more...]
Fabrication of metal products refers to a range of processes such as shaping, cutting, welding, assembling, folding, roll forming and machining. A variety of products come from the metal fabrication sector. These range from steel beams and panels used in major construction to boilers and tanks and domestic pre-fabricated buildings such as garages. Businesses in the sector are numerous and varied in size, with relatively low profit margins. Larger businesses manufacture large volume products … [Read more...]
The 'furnishings' sector includes, in part, the manufacture of wood, steel, glass and upholstered furniture primarily for home and office use. Total furniture purchasing has increased within Australia in recent years, however, most of this increase reflects purchase of imports, which are now approximately two-thirds of all furniture sales. Imports are primarily from China with some high end, low volume products from Europe and USA. Profit margins are being squeezed by this competition. … [Read more...]
The manufacture of cement and concrete products uses processes such as grinding, mixing, kilning, moulding, compaction and curing. Products include: Cement, including hydraulic and Portland cement Lime Pre-mix or ready-mixed concrete slurry Concrete pipe, box culverts, pre-cast panels and bridge components Other concrete products, such as pavers. The sector primarily serves domestic markets and is largely protected from global competitors due to the high freight-to-value cost of … [Read more...]
The textiles sector manufactures fabric from natural and man-made fibres. Typically this involves processes such as stripping, blending, dyeing and weaving or knitting. The fabric manufacturing process may include preparing and dyeing the yarns to be used, assembling the yarn into fabrics, dyeing and printing the fabrics, and applying a range of treatments to the fabric. Within Australia the sector is a mix of high and low technology, reliant on unskilled and semi-skilled labour. There is … [Read more...]
Iron and steel casting and forging is used in the manufacture of iron, steel, copper and aluminium products. Casting involves melting metal and pouring it into a mould, while forging involves the use of machinery to hammer or press metal into pre-determined forms, typically after heating it. Businesses tend to perform casting or forging, not both. Most are small, with ‘jobbing’ (one off) or ‘batch’ production systems. A handful of very large businesses dominate the sector by value. The … [Read more...]
Clothing manufacture in Australia includes ready to wear casual, formal, designer, sleepwear and underwear. Specialist items, such as uniforms, hospital gowns and masks, safety and disposable wear, are also manufactured in Australia. By volume, businesses in the sector are most often small and rely on home-based ‘outworkers’. However, a number of large clothing manufacturers hold significant market share by value. Because labour is a substantial cost in clothing, manufacture off-shore … [Read more...]
This website and many of the products have been produced with the assistance of funding provided by the Australian Government; including through the Green Skills Agreement and the Clean Energy and Other Skills Package.