Quarry Manufacturing & Supplies strives for a sustainable future

For QMS, sustainability and the reduction of any negative impact on the environment are key features of the QMS offering, operations and manufacturing process. Although proud of its existing sustainability systems, QMS is now introducing further steps to reduce any negative impact on the environment through using up to date manufacturing equipment and techniques that are energy and emissions efficient. The company has also introduced measures to ensure that all staff are trained in modern manufacturing techniques and environmental awareness as well as how to efficiently use resources...

By the way very nature of screening and crushing product lines, from manufacturing to logistics, QMS strives to be a leading sustainability partner for its customers, aiming to help them achieve more sustainable business practices. “Our sustainable business strategy is based on international guidelines and principles and embedded in our everyday business practices. We’ve established sustainability goals for 2030 - circularity, climate change and people - that are given the same prominence as traditional business targets. These will remain a core consideration in our development of solutions for the mining, mineral excavation, recycling and generic construction industries,” says company managing director Jonathan Beck.

Circular economy

As part of these goals, QMS has developed rebuild solutions that prolong its mineral processing equipment lifecycles and implemented recycling programmes for steel and wear parts, as well as launching a range of initiatives to support its avowed aim of making its products and packaging ‘circular’. “We also aspire to dramatically reduce waste from production through reducing waste or repurposing what might otherwise be waste, thus minimising the number of new materials we need to create,” explains Jonathan Beck, who adds: “QMS has also reduced carbon emissions through reformed logistics approaches and aims at our new factory development to capture waste heat released in production processes and redistribute it to warm our facilities. As QMS manufactures energy efficient equipment, we also help our customers reduce their carbon footprints.”

The QMS way of doing things is essentially a way of facing a world with resource scarcity, with the company believing that it has developed successful strategies for sustainable development. In fact QMS has embraced the philosophy of the ‘circular economy’ where resource input and waste, emissions, and energy leakage are minimised by slowing, closing, and narrowing energy and material loops. This means that components and materials are kept in the loop for as long as possible. “We are continually striving to see a manufacturing process where waste no longer exists, and everything recirculates back into the process to convert into another product, component, or material,” adds Jonathan.

Extending product life

Waste avoidance, life cycle extension through remanufacturing or reuse, and improved recycling techniques are seen by all at QMS as important strategies for sustainable manufacturing. The manufacturing operation itself is continually invested in so as to use the most efficient processes, with the new manufacturing plant – which is being constructed – set to be energy, noise, emissions, heat, light and waste efficient. Pollution from the existing plant is already minimised and will be further reduced when the new factory comes online. Furthermore, the company recycles as much of the materials used as is possible as well as using recycled materials where applicable throughout QMS’s operations.

“Contaminated materials at the factory are now recycled/reused, as well as all equipment demonstration materials, whenever possible, and dealt with by a professional waste processing company if required. Our manufacturing plant is made from materials that minimise noise, with the new factory being designed to further reduce noise pollution. Furthermore our equipment is designed to operate to national decibel limits and capable of working in inner city environments when required,” explains Jonathan.

Efficiency at the core

Manufacturing efficiency is further enhanced via QMS’s focus on product design. The company has found through its long and proud history that the best way to reduce material waste is to use less material from the beginning. Designing parts using methodologies such as value engineering and design for manufacturability have drastically improved efficiency. Jonathan Beck explains: “Where possible we recycle scraps and factory returns. Even when we are unable to use the recycled material, we sell it on to those who can so as to continue the material life cycle. All our production processes are optimised to utilise all available material as we view every scrap of discarded material representing an opportunity to improve process efficiency.”

Renewable materials are also used where possible, and through QMS’ aftermarket and spare parts business, the company aims to ensure that customer plants are kept operational for longer, with oil, water, steel, plastic etc being recycled and reused. In addition, QMS plants are energy and fuel efficient using renewable sources of power where possible and using clean energy via the grid as their primary power source.

Maximising resources

All QMS equipment is by its very nature manufactured to maximise the world’s minerals mineral resources, proving their worth in efficiently dealing with virgin deposits. QMS equipment is also equally adept at recycling in order to reduce construction materials so that they may be reused and recycled. To this end QMS produces washing plant that is energy and water efficient, reusing as much of the water as possible, whilst the extensive range of crushers and screens operate under the maxim of ‘reduce, recycle, reuse’ as they reduce materials, sort by size, enabling former waste materials to form valuable products further continuing the material life cycle.

“Our aim is to use energy more efficiently with the manufacturing plant and offices being equipped with energy efficient technology. This also extends to company transport, where travel is kept to a minimum, and where possible, we use fuel efficient vehicles. Equipment deliveries are coordinated so that a minimum of vehicles is used, and when exporting, we send our equipment by container, by sea. The process of making our systems, equipment, parts, offices, production processes, are continually developed, measured and improved so as to further improve our sustainability,” concludes Quarry Manufacturing & Supplies managing director Jonathan Beck.