Eltronic

Through the SDG Accelerator programme, Eltronic has successfully connected production data with the Sustainable Development Goals. The result is a whole new level of transparency.

_{Sustainable Dev}_{elopment Goals at play}

_{• SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth
• Target 8.4: Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption and production, with developed countries taking the lead.
• SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production
• Target 12.6: Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle.}

Danish engineering company Eltronic has, amongst other, traditionally offered automation solutions to the mass production industry. Today, the company has an entire department working exclusively with data intelligence. And better data are needed! On average, global production companies only utilise 50 per cent of their capacity, and at the same time, the need to reduce waste and limit resource consumption is greater than ever. Eltronic has a solution, says the company’s QHSE Manager Jacob Kroløkke Ljungberg:

‘Today, software is built into virtually all types of mass production, from counting machines and production control to advanced quality monitoring. The challenge, however, is to monitor the overall production line and make the process more sustainable from A to Z. This is the software we have developed.’

Eltronic has developed a so-called DIAP – a small box that monitors and collects vital data. It is no bigger than a home TV box but has great potential in optimising industrial production.

‘The advantage of the DIAP is that it collects all available production data and makes it accessible in real time, which enables companies to make immediate adjustments if the set tolerances are not met. Moreover, the software calculates key figures of accessibility, performance and quality. As a production manager you get a complete overview and achieve 100 per cent transparency throughout the entire production,’ says Jacob Kroløkke Ljungberg.

Real-time production data are not a new invention per se. What is new is the direct link between their utilisation and the Sustainable Development Goals.

‘The big revolution here is not the software and the black boxes, but the actual linkage between production efficiency and specific Sustainable Development Goals. It could be the target for energy utilisation articulated in SDG 7, or on waste reduction, which is captured in SDG 12. The individual company decides what targets to measure and we set the parameters to measure them in real time. It is like receiving a full sustainability analysis of the entire production every second of the day,’ Jacob Kroløkke Ljungberg explains.

According to Jacob Kroløkke Ljungberg and Eltronic, analytics has a tremendous potential to make the world’s manufacturing industry more sustainable.

‘For companies that are ready to connect their DIAP to the Sustainable Development Goals, we expect an average increase of capacity utilisation of up to 30 percentage points. At the same time, we can reduce the carbon footprint, production errors and waste. For the individual company, this

could mean obtaining a competitive edge. For the global manufacturing industry, it could represent one of the most substantial productivity improvements in decades. We have thereby laid the foundation for a whole new level of transparency.’

Today, Eltronic has approximately 1,000 DIAP boxes in operation at client sites. Jacob Kroløkke Ljungberg believes the number will grow exponentially in the upcoming years:

'Today, it is not enough to simply talk about sustainability. You have to demonstrate verified results in order to meet customer, partner and stakeholder demands. This is what we have been working on in the SDG Accelerator programme by using the DIAP to provide real-time sustainability metrics. Put differently, the SDG Accelerator process has helped Eltronic conceptualise how the DIAP can help manufacturers measure the SDGs that are most important to them and where they have the greatest impact. Companies can thereby deliver on their set targets and demonstrate their efforts. The sustainability agenda should involve continuous improvement, not just empty words.'

Jacob Kroløkke Ljungberg, QHSE Manager, Eltronic

This is how Eltronic contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals

Eltronic has developed a device called DIAP that collects all available data from a production line and makes it available in real time.
The DIAP box can be directly linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, allowing manufacturing companies to pursue their own set of sustainability targets at any time.

Facts about Eltronic

Founded in 2000
One of the pioneers of Industry 4.0 and digitalisation
Head office in Hedensted, Denmark
Approximately 550 employees
Sites in DK, CH, UK, GE, BG and US

‘Eltronic uses technology to reduce energy consumption, minimise waste and increase the capacity of our clients’ manufacturing facilities. By automating production lines and introducing more intelligent and efficient mass production processes, we help create a more sustainable manufacturing industry where resources are better spent.’

Lars Jensen, CEO, Eltronic