Cover Story ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
One such area is , of course , sustainability , which ranks especially high on John Crane ’ s agenda . Mike lays out the many ways in which the company works to reduce not only its own but also its customers ’ emissions . “ As a business of the wider Smiths Group , our shareholders expect and want us to act in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way , as do our customers . Thus , we are very motivated in the area , with a Net Zero commitment and approved Science Based Targets Initiative ( SBTI ) goal . We are working on reducing our Scope 1 , 2 , and 3 emissions , corresponding to those emitted by our own operations , by our supply chain , and downstream into our customers . “
Sustainability initiatives
“ Our automation and process standardization efforts improve our operational efficiency , thereby reducing waste and energy consumption . We also have an energy conservation campaign in place called ‘ Turn it Off ’, aiming to change behaviors across our entire workforce regarding simple things like ensuring that nothing is left running when it isn ’ t needed . Each site conducts a full greenhouse gas inventory to create a decarbonization plan for Scope 1 and 2 emissions . We have implemented many other sustainability initiatives , including installing a solar system at one site and commissioning a second one , and using renewable energy wherever possible to reduce our Scope 2 emissions . Within my team , we are considering rationalizing our raw materials use , which isn ’ t only commercially beneficial , but also sustainable , as it limits the impact of raw material extraction , processing , and transportation ,” he continues .
“ Less evidently , our day job in itself promotes sustainability . Our sealing products are designed to help our customers move fluids , such as gas and oil , without leakage . Hence , our operations evolve around reducing Scope 4 emissions , as we constantly strive to help our customers reduce their methane emissions . To this end , we are developing hydrogen seals , empowering clients to switch from petrochemicals to more sustainable fluids . In 2023 , we were awarded almost £ 1 million in grant funding from the UK Government ’ s Carbon Capture , Usage and Storage ( CCUS ) Innovation competition . Subsequently , we began working with Cranfield University and the University of Edinburgh to develop seals for high-temperature and supercritical CO 2 power cycles to meet future energy requirements ,” Mike ends .
By combining investments in cuttingedge technologies with game-changing sustainability initiatives , John Crane empowers industry professionals to optimize their operations for a greener future . ■
johncrane . com
38