Any entrepreneur will quickly tell you that one of the highest overhead costs facing a business is the cost of electricity!
Not only that but being reliant on the commercial power grid also means a company is subject to sudden electric rate fluctuations. These sometimes rather significant spikes in operating cost add uncertainty to doing business, especially to an organisation’s cash flow management.
That’s why many companies worldwide are avoiding and are showing the world that their businesses can benefit from a key solution – solar panel installation. That’s why in sunny Malaysia, more and more companies are relying on solar power as the mainstream alternative energy source.
(Related: How Renewable Energy Is Changing The Way We Power The Future)
And with the completion of a RM3 million green energy initiative to generate clean energy, top paint manufacturer Jotun looks all set to become the latest company to run on solar energy here!
The project sees the installation of some 2,236 solar panels on the roof surfaces of its largest manufacturing plants for solvent-based paints and powder coatings in Southeast Asia, situated in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan. This effort also clearly outlines the company’s commitment to implementing sustainable steps to protect a greener and sustainable environment.
“At Jotun, we are constantly looking for ways to make a difference in the world we all share. As we take continuous steps to protect your property with our paint, we also take steps to protect our environment better with our paint production,” said Claudio Iurilli, Managing Director of Jotun Malaysia and Singapore.
The solar panels at this facility are set to generate up to 1.3 gigawatts hours of clean energy, which translates to about 22 per cent of its annual energy needs. Meanwhile, the reduced carbon dioxide emission by this effort is estimated to be around the region of 920 tonnes per year!
“Our work towards removing energy waste and reducing carbon footprint will help create a shared sustainable future for our customers, employees and the community at large,” Iurilli continues.
Meanwhile, the brand’s Regional Engineering Manager, Huck Tee Tan, points out that the project is just the beginning of Jotun’s solar-powered manufacturing initiatives. “The Nilai factory is the first to implement this as part of our regional effort to have all Jotun factories in Southeast Asia and the Pacific generating at least 20% of their electricity consumption through renewable energy, by 2024.”
(Related: Dato’ Ir Guntor Tobeng Shines A Light On Malaysia’s Renewable Energy Sector)
Dubbed the Jotun GreenSteps programme, this initiative aims to make a difference through energy-saving and reducing waste generation in the industry. The company recently launched two other programs to bring down its waste disposal percentage and is continuously looking for options to reduce environmental impact, such as recycling solvent, reducing plastic waste and more.
Other initiatives include replacing lighting requirements with energy-saving LED lighting and automatic timers on electricity across various factories. Jotun also works with certified audited waste disposal companies to ensure safe and proper decomposed waste is generated without compromising the environment.
Now let’s hope other companies that call Malaysia home will also be inspired to embrace their own similarly impressive efforts to champion the environment, while saving a fair bit of operating costs in the long run in the process, just like Jotun!
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