Ford India makes gains with sustainable manufacturing processes

Ford has identified ‘Sustainability Blues’ as a key consumer trend in Asia Pacific. The carmaker’s 2016 Trends Report found that 87 percent of adults in India said they tend to choose products that are environmentally responsible. For the remaining Asia Pacific region, around 75 percent of respondents echoed the same view.

Millennials – the demographic most connected with social media – tend to be the most socially aware and would prefer to buy from like-minded brands that share their values. According to a recent Nielsen global survey, sales of consumer goods from brands with a demonstrated commitment to sustainability have grown more than four percent globally, while those without grew less than one percent. In addition, the majority of consumers said they were willing to pay more for sustainable brands, especially millennials – almost three-out-of-four of which said they would pay a premium for greener products, up from approximately half a year before.

Between 2010 and 2015, the company has globally been able to reduce its energy consumption by up to 25 percent. Ford has been adopting environment-friendly manufacturing practices in a big way and aims to give a greener overhaul to its business.

Focusing on its activities in the APAC region, Ford says it has brought down harmful emissions from the paint shop at Ford India’s facility in Chennai by 23 percent, by the implementation of 3-wet high solid paint technology. It has also deployed the same at its second plant in Sanand, Gujarat.

Ford India has also drastically reduced its Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions at Chennai by a remarkable 40 percent over the past eight years. While the energy consumption per vehicle produced has come down by 16 percent, water usage at Chennai is now considerably lower by 30 percent, since 2009. 2016 alone saw the plant become 15 percent less thirsty than the previous year.

The company’s CO2 emissions per vehicle produced also came lower in 2016 by 10 percent, as compared to the previous year, and being significantly down by 40 percent, since 2010.

Taking cues from nature, Ford is also utilising renewable plant based materials in its components and currently, some 300 parts across different global car models are utilising such material compositions, derived from wood, cotton, flax, jute, soybeans and natural rubber.

In an attempt to move towards more eco-friendly cars for the future, and ensuring a sustainable tomorrow, the company is following its keen vision of investing in cost-effective and cleaner technologies.

As a result, there’s a strong push on electric vehicle development, enhancing fuel efficiency of its line-up, as well as consideration of alternate fuel options, are all part of its future product strategy. Contemporary technologies, which will contribute towards a greener environment, including 6-speed, 9-speed and 10-speed gearboxes, with exceptionally high fuel efficiency ratings are also in the pipeline.

The company is also exploring weight reduction by the use of boron steels, as well as improving its designs, focussing more on aerodynamic efficiencies in its upcoming projects.