Sustainable engineering and energy efficiency
According to Rui Ribeiro – Technical Director of Fricon, the biggest challenge we have at hand will be to increase our ability to influence trends in the market.
“We feel that retail, often follows trends, which may follow a more or less efficient standard. What we want at FRICON is to increase our potential for impact and influence in defining these trends.
The creation of a consistent flow with the market, in the aspects of sustainability and efficiency, is one of the main objectives not only of the engineering team, but of FRICON as an operator in the market.
In this way, we intend to be stronger in sharing our mission of sustainability and energy efficiency, maintaining our avant-garde “drive” that characterizes us and which is part of our DNA.This alignment is valid both for the national market, as well as in the international markets in which we are present. Only then, with this level of demand, can we guarantee a consolidated presence in more than 115 markets and a direct distribution to about 70 countries. ”
How does Fricon position itself in the market in view of the new energy certification?
What about the company’s new strategies in this area?
The introduction of the European norm Ecolabel, occurs for FRICON as an ally in our product development strategy.
Its introduction and mandatory contribution contribute positively to the “tangibilization” of our mission in the implementation of highly efficient solutions, as it helps us in the process of raising awareness and calling the attention of the final consumer to this reality.
At the same time, it also supports us, along with other stakeholders, such as component suppliers.
Taking into account our global dispersion in terms of markets, we are exposed to strict rules of energy certification and not only, since all the markets where we sell our solutions, have different and growing demands.
The efficiency and sustainability process takes place along the entire value chain and product development is no exception. In this transformation process, the support of our component suppliers is essential, where the demands are also high.
The strategic alignment of all parties, in the common sense of sustainability and efficiency, today assumes inseparable importance for all interested parties.
Regarding energy efficiency and sustainability. How has Fricon anticipated this reality and how does it lead these good practices in the market?
We affirm many times, that we were “lucky” to anticipate ourselves, through the hand of our founder, in a few decades in various processes. Today, we continue in the direction of continuous improvement, through consistent work to optimize performance.
We do it from a product point of view, but also through process optimization. We consume fewer resources to produce the same. That is, on the one hand, we consume less energy right away, but also other resources. This phenomenon is also directly linked to the optimization of the production process specifically, but not exclusively.
A good example is the selection of materials. The fact that we work with very demanding markets, obliges us to comply with normative requirements for certification, forcing us to work at the technical and technological vanguard.
We work with a very significant part of national retailers, such as Grupo Jerónimo Martins and Sonae, but also with other multinational chains such as Marks & Spencer, Grupo Carrefour, Cencosud, among others, so we are obliged to work daily under high levels of demand. This requirement is also dealt with by our partners, thus ensuring a consolidated value proposition.
Sustainable engineering drive? Practical examples? What does it apply to?
In the last decade, we have invested substantially in these variables and in this positioning.
This year, we launched new investments to optimize the production layout and automate the production process. Simultaneously with these investments, we also launched new training programs for our teams and a very robust “lean management” project.
The investment mentioned above and in progress closes this circle of investment in sustainable engineering at the bottom.
New Fricon projects and what is the strategy for the future?
Energy efficiency occupies a significant part of our product development within the engineering team. This strategy will be maintained and even reinforced, taking into account that it is an increasingly pressing need in the market.
The great challenge in this area, parallel to the launch of new products, is in the sense of what improvements they may have and the assessment of integration in the market.
We will always have the concepts of sustainable engineering and energy efficiency in our developments.
Read the full article released by the largest European food retail magazine – European Supermarket Magazine.