Manufacturers and students connect at sustainability forum

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Representatives from some of the Upstate’s manufacturers will gather in Greenville on March 12 for a forum aimed at helping them reduce their energy use and costs, while increasing environmental sustainability.

The Sustainable Manufacturing Forum will be useful for industry representatives and Clemson University students, said David Ladner, who is helping organize the event and is an associate professor of environmental engineering and Earth sciences at Clemson University.

“This will be a place where manufacturers can share ideas about sustainability and interact with students who are interested in these topics and will soon be entering the workforce,” he said in a news release. “It’s also a great way to learn about the free services that Clemson offers to help manufacturers reduce their energy use.”

The forum is free and includes lunch, but registration is required.

The agenda includes for talks by representatives from several companies, including Bosch, Michelin, Milliken, Owens Corning and T&S Brass and Bronze Works. Also on the agenda are speakers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 and the S.C. Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

The event hosts are the S.C. Economy, Energy, Environment group and Clemson’s Industrial Assessment Center. The South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership is assisting.

SC E3 works with South Carolina manufacturers to help them reduce energy use and pollution and become more efficient, which makes companies more productive and saves them money, Ladner said in the news release. The net result is a boost to the economy and a reduction of manufacturers’ environmental footprint, he said.

Teams of students, faculty, and staff conduct free, one-day energy use assessments at companies around the state. They break into teams to assess a wide range of operations, including lighting, compressed air, HVAC systems, boilers, chillers and wastewater treatment operations.

The forum runs from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and will be held in the TD Gallery at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research, 5 Research Drive.