Big Picture - March 2016 - (Page 24)

THE P WER AND THE GLORY Energy efficiency, its application in practical terms, and the problems of precise assessment. By SOPHIE MATTHEWS-PAUL BIG PICTURE March 2016 The relevance of energy efficiency is not new in any industry that exists on the planet, but practices and associated principles certainly vary from country to country, with some rating excessive power usage far higher on their agendas for manufacturing across all sectors. Without a doubt, there are areas involving print where the cost of electricity - and its associated waste - tends to lack importance and rate fairly low on the list of criteria for businesses involved in heavy duty processes and production methodologies. But, regardless of the environmental principles that encompass power issues, the sheer cost and unnecessary redundancy that are all too easily generated should be viewed as detrimental to the way 24 The shift in dynamics from analog to digital has also resulted in PSPs adding flexibility and versatility to their range of services; the drive for just-in-time production doesn't necessarily always encourage the most efficient use of resources. in which companies of all sizes operate today. Without clear benchmarks and auditing capabilities that apply nation by nation, even universally, monitoring is not a simple task and is impossible to impose. This is because there are so many variables that might or might not be employed, according to levels of importance, by different types of PSPs worldwide. Regardless of the size of operation, print represents a manufacturing process; to bracket it generically is impossible because of its own divisions and methods that define exactly what it represents. Due to its many variants, which can range from traditional prepress to complex finishing, with many points in between, a clear definition in order to introduce any kind of standard or benchmark is not a practical proposition. Furthermore, certification programs tend to be fairly localized to individual nations and do not follow a specific set of international criteria. Add into the mix the vast range of production techniques that comes under the overall umbrella definition of print and it is easy to see the difficulties encountered by organizations and auditing specialists who want, and clearly need, to bring unified operating practices within a single set of principles. Today's print companies, including those only running one or two wide-format inkjet devices, should all be aware of the mounting responsibilities being laid at their door when mention is made of eco-awareness, overall carbon footprint, and the need to reduce waste. All of these categories, and more, are based on power. And energy, however generated, is going to cost money. Without it, there is no way to run a business because there are no viable alternatives to electricity. Although a utopian attitude might make one observe the potential of ethereal options such as hydroelectric or wind generation, the truth is that most businesses rely on their country's grid as the only viable way of obtaining a consistent and reliable source that will keep machines running throughout the year. And these individual grids normally determine the source and method of providing power across a nation and its manufacturing operations.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Big Picture - March 2016

Big Picture - March 2016
Contents
Challenge Accept
The Power and the Glory
Insight
Dynamic Signage
Wide Angle
Upfront
R+D

Big Picture - March 2016