Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit Kennametal factory in Bangalore with the help of TIE-cleantech. The company manufactures tungsten carbide inserts and metal  cutting tools for high precision applications. For example, internal combustion engines have valves which have to be drilled with ultra high precision. Kennametal provides the tools required for this purpose. The main purpose of the visit was to have a look at energy efficiency and water conservation measures taken up at the company.

First some facts:

1. Since 2004 (when they started the energy efficiency program) till 2009, the energy efficiency achieved was 48%.
2. The company now uses Karnataka state electricity only as a backup and otherwise is self-reliant for its energy needs.
3. Production in their company has increased 40% since 2004 and yet, the energy requirement dropped.
4. Till 2004, the company used to obtain water with the help of 7-8 tankers per day. Now, the company is self-sufficient in water.
5. Since the company started such activities, borewells in sorrounding villages are now yielding better.
6. Many employees of the company now have implemented similar measures at their own homes.

The details of these facts and methods used to achieve these are even more interesting. For example, the company invested 18 lakhs in rain water harvesting. That included 2 lakes, soak pits near borewells, inverted barrel techniques etc so that every drop of  rain that falls in the 29 acre campus is soaked up in the campus soil itself. The savings: 12 lakhs per annum. Another interesting thing for example is the payback period of the amount invested in replacing old lighting systems with new GE T5 lighting and its optics. The payback it seems was just 1.5 years! And they are now saving about 20 lakhs per annum on lighting costs alone. Heat recovery systems, LAN connected electronic energy meters, variable frequency drive feed water systems and many more improvizations have resulted in a savings of Rs.5.5 crores per annum to the company.

Apart from direct savings to the company, the brand image of the company as a eco sensitive company would be impossible to measure. Hundreds of industrialists, institutions, entrepreneurs and even common people around the factory have been inspired by the work done here. One small task by a company benefited everyone including themselves.

Also, do read about Ayyappa Masagi, a grassroot worker in rainwater harvesting who was responsible for the rainwater harvesting methods employed at Kennametal: http://www.waterliteracy.org/about%20us.htm