Sustainability improvement of a composite materials' industry through recycling re-engineering process approaches

Abstract

This case study was aimed at measuring and assessing the potential improvements that couldbe made on the eco-efficiency performance of a composite materials' industry, specifically aglass fibre reinforced plastic (GFRP) pultrusion manufacturing company. For this purpose, allthe issues involved in the pultrusion process of GFRP profiles were analysed, the current ecoefficiency performance of the company was determined, all the procedures applied in theproduction process were revised, and improvement strategies were planned and investigatedwith basis on the performed analysis. The new eco-efficiency ratios were estimated takinginto account the implementation of new proceedings and procedures through re-engineeringthe manufacturing process and recycling approaches. These features lead to significantimprovements on the sequent assessed eco-efficiency ratios, yielding to a more sustainableproduct and manufacturing process of pultruded GFRP profiles.