Greener Business Alliance Project Case Study 3

While some details may have changed since this case study was undertaken, the principles and the positive outcomes, both financial and environmental, remain the same and are transferable to any business.

JBM Juvenal Australia Pty Ltd

Company profile

JBM Juvenal Australia Pty Ltd (JBM Juvenal) imports, processes and sells natural wine corks and is a joint venture sales company between JB Macmahon (JBM) based in Adelaide and Juvenal Ferreira Da Silva (JFS) based in Portugal. Established in April 2000, it employs 8 staff and has an agent in Western Australia. JBM Juvenal also sells into NSW, Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria.

Manufacturing processes

JBM Juvenal imports corks from its partner JFS and treats the natural cork for use as closures for wine and olive oil bottles. The treatment and processing of the cork involves:

• Dust removal
• Printing (if required) and drying
• Moisture adjustment
• Stabilisation with sulphur dioxide gas (SO2)
• Treatment with silicone and wax
• Bagging and packaging
• QA testing

Link to Yalumba

Yalumba import their own cork from Portugal, which is sent to JBM for treatment and processing.

Action undertaken

An eco-efficiency audit was conducted at JBM in March 2002 that inspected and reviewed the company facilities and activities. This included assessment of the:

• Supply chain (transportation and logistics)
• Inputs including energy usage (electricity, gas), and water usage
• Outputs including waste generation, and products

Several eco-efficiency initiatives were identified during the program and were included into an Action Plan including:

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
• Reduction in packaging waste,
• Energy savings from air-conditioning.
  

The following table provides a summary of the Action Plan.

AREA	ACTION	POTENTIAL BENEFITS
Packaging	Investigate the benefit of using bins that could be returned to the supplier for re-use.	Boxes are re-cycled resulting in less waste to landfill. Reduced transport costs and greenhouse emissions.
Air conditioning	Replace door between laboratories.	Reduced electricity costs.
Packaging	Investigate the benefit of using bins that could be returned to the supplier for re-use.	Potentially more efficient use of packaging and reduced costs.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Replacing large mercury lamps with sensor activated.	Reduced electricity consumption.

Project outcomes

The objectives identified in the Action Plan were implemented. As a result JBM Juvenal has received direct cost savings and identified the following specific outcomes:

Environmental benefits

The review of air-conditioning efficiency and replacement of lamps resulted in an estimated saving in electricity consumption of approximately 30%.

A cardboard recycling system has been established at a minor cost to the company resulting in a reduction of waste material going to landfill.

Economic benefits

Decreased electricity consumption with a corresponding cost saving of the order of $500 per annum.

Other issues that have arisen include:

Participation in the project has increased awareness within the company and was considered to be worthwhile.

This page was last modified 23-10-2007