Case Studies
Environmental: responsible product innovation
Gates E3 Drive™ technology
This is a further solution for reducing fuel consumption in
passenger vehicles. The two-speed drive system allows accessories
such as the air conditioning compressor and alternator to operate
at idling speed, (where fuel is used most efficiently by these
accessories) while the engine still operates at drive speed. The
driver will not notice a difference in vehicle operation but will
see fuel consumption reduce by 5% or more.
Green Building Products
Product development efforts in our Building Products group are also
focused on environmental protection or ‘green building'
applications. We continuously introduce new products to maintain
our leadership role in both residential and non-residential
markets. Our brands are well positioned to take advantage of green
building initiatives driven by end customers around the world. Our
current product line-up includes commercial energy-recovery
ventilators for more efficient outside air management, variable-air
volume control boxes, free-cooling economisers, outside air
measuring and maintenance devices, tight-sealing dampers, permanent
building sunshade devices, tighter sealing ductwork and energy
efficient fan systems.
Carbon™ Drive System
Gates expanded into the mainstream bicycle industry with the
development of the Carbon™ Drive System, a dynamic new
technology that is revolutionizing the bicycle industry. The
durable new belt is impervious to weather conditions giving it two
to three times the life of a bike chain. The Gates Poly
Chain® GT® Carbon™ belt earned
the coveted Product of the Year award from Plant Engineering
magazine.
LubriMatic Green
Plews/Edelmann introduced LubriMatic Green, a line of bio-based,
biodegradable lubricants. LubriMatic Green products are
ecologically friendly, from a renewable resource, and meet or
exceed the performance characteristics of petroleum lubricants.
Community: local support
Working with community organisations
Gates, Balsareny, Spain, works with organisations such as Ampans
and Cire, employing mentally handicapped people and ex-prisoners.
Gates sends its belts to the organisations where their employees
complete the final packaging of the products. Similarly, Gent
Distribution Centre, Belgium has worked together with the sheltered
warehouse of Aalst for several years, employing disabled people to
package its products.
Heston Rovers Football Club
Gates, Dumfries, Scotland provided employees and materials to help
build changing facilities for Heston Rovers Football Club.
Approximately 200 children aged between 5 and 16 attend the club
weekly. They were so delighted with the support and physical help
Gates employees had given the Club during the construction of their
new changing facilities, they offered Gates the opportunity to
place its logo on their new shirts as a way of saying thank
you.
Habitat for Humanity
Ruskin, Lexington, Kentucky donated lighting fixtures, ceiling
grids and tiles, doors, windows to Habitat for Humanity, for use on
its various community projects. Similarly, the engineering
department of Gates, Windsor, Canada participated in Habitat for
Humanity's Blitz Build for the second year in a row. The event
consisted of building two brand new homes for families in need.
Customers: partnership approach
Reducing packaging
Gates, Dumfries, Scotland has been working with one of its
customers to reduce disposable packaging. The project has resulted
in a 30% reduction in cardboard boxes purchased for the transit of
its product and has lowered the customer's packaging waste by 4.5
tonnes.
Operational excellence
Gates, Elizabethtown, Kentucky recently started working on an
operational excellence project with Harley-Davidson. The programme
evaluates suppliers based upon a number of metrics (quality,
delivery, cost, demand flow and technology) and Elizabethtown was
complimented for outstanding success at improving its metrics over
the past five years. As a result, Elizabethtown has been asked to
mentor some of Harley-Davidson's other suppliers so that they can
follow the Gates model of improvement.
Employees: welfare
Health and welfare programme
Schrader Bridgeport, Altavista, Virginia opened a woodland walking
trail on company grounds in March 2008 which is actively used by
employees. Altavista also operates a wellness group providing
initiatives for participants such as guest speakers, samples of
healthy food and monthly health newsletters. Employees are taught
relaxation methods for stress reduction and can participate in goal
setting techniques for all areas of life, not just wellness.
Smoking cessation programme
To support the goal of becoming a tobacco- free facility within
three years, Gates Mectrol, Germany started a prevention programme
for smokers. At its kick-off event, a professional non-smoking
coach conducted carbon-monoxide tests to demonstrate the diminished
lung capacity of smokers. This was followed up by further courses
to help employees stop smoking.
HSE Excellence Award: winning formula
Lasco Bathware, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania was the winner of
the Chairman's HSE Excellence award presented in 2008.
Elizabethtown operated throughout 2007 without an accident or
single safety or environmental audit violation and also displayed a
strong commitment to employees and an ongoing desire for
improvement which lead to waste and cost reductions.
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