Tuesday 21 January 2020

Building products firm Quinn Lite cuts carbon footprint with efficiency upgrades

Building products firm Quinn Lite has made a series of efficiency improvements in its manufacturing plant to reduce energy usage and cut waste.

The company reviewed the manufacturing process of its aircrete blocks to determine where improvements could be made to ensure minimal environmental impact and maximise efficiencies.

Over the last four months, a new heat exchanger system was commissioned and installed in the plant to capture the excess heated water produced - this energy is no longer wasted and is now pumped back into the system to heat the pre-curing chamber and help maintain optimum temperatures.

This is vital to properly aerate the concrete blocks.

Quinn Lite also insulated the entire chamber, significantly reducing heat loss and energy requirements without increasing production time - it says this also helps to improve the quality of the blocks it can produce.

The newly enhanced facilities also allow for the reduction in lime content in the Quinn Lite mix, which is used as a heating agent - this saves on both production costs and transport requirements, therefore further reducing the carbon footprint of the finished product.

Quinn Lite’s Production Manager, Kieran McGorman, said: "The changes we’ve made form part of a larger, company-wide drive to minimise the impact of our operations on the environment and to maximise efficiencies wherever possible.

"Given the nature of the Quinn Lite blocks, these improvements in energy efficiency, reduced waste and greater thermal efficiency are very fitting and will give customers even greater confidence that they are using a more sustainable product."