Seeking balance between profit and sustainability

Ti Gong

At its high voltage switchgear factory in Minhang District, Siemens is vying for a balance between business profit and low energy consumption.

At Siemens High Voltage Switchgear Co Shanghai, a joint venture of Siemens and the Shanghai Electric Group, logistics robots carry raw materials to pass through qualification and storage entry.

"This is our green supply chain," said Gao Bo, the company's sustainable development officer. "The raw materials for packaging are recyclable and we are therefore able to reduce packaging waste by 25 tons annually."

The company is gearing itself toward automation, digitalization and smart manufacturing development, and has been selected as a "Shanghai Clean Production Model Unit" and among the first batch of "Waste-free Factories" in Shanghai.

Its low-carbon manufacturing has become a major concept for the company's sustainable development.

On the roof of its factory, photovoltaic panels absorb solar power to generate electricity.

"Since the PV panels were put into use in 2019, we have generated through the system about 8.326 million kilowatt hours of electricity and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 4,837.3 tons," Gao said.

As Minhang is aspiring to become a "waste-free" zone, it is encouraging its factories, hospitals and campuses to become "waste-free units." The concept of "waste-free units" will be applied more widely in the district's parks, farms and industrial zones.