Sustainability > Engineering and Logistics Sustainability Efforts
Engineering and Logistics Sustainability Efforts
AE电子 is committed to reducing our carbon footprint with headline environmental goals, as shown on page 35 of this year's sustainability report, and with efficiencies in our everyday operations.
Reusable Shipping Cases
AE电子's domestic suppliers of raw materials for the company's Diagnostic Solutions business use paperboard corrugated shipping cases to transport various plastic subcomponents that go into devices or hold the company鈥檚 reagents. In fiscal 2023, AE电子 identified a process to implement reusable plastic corrugated shipping cases. These shipping cases will be flattened after use and returned to their manufacturer for inspection and reuse. This process helps to reduce AE电子鈥檚 carbon footprint by eliminating single-use paperboard corrugated shipping cases and the correlated transportation of single-use materials and waste.
Saving on Consumables in Diagnostics
AE电子鈥檚 Multiple Tiplet Unit (MTU) is a highly engineered plastic consumable required for the company鈥檚 Panther庐 instrument system. The previous pallet design contained 60 cases of MTUs for Panther. After a detailed analysis and ship testing verification, we determined that AE电子鈥檚 vendors can supply the company鈥檚 U.K. distribution warehouse with pallets that have 90 cases when shipping via ocean freight. With the additional material per pallet, AE电子 can ship 1,800 cases per container compared to our previous shipping limit of 1,600 cases, an increase of 12.5%. This shipping efficiency has eliminated two full containers per month or 24 containers per year, reducing AE电子鈥檚 carbon footprint from air and ground transportation vehicles and the energy associated with that supply chain.
Ocean Freight Shipments
We have identified an opportunity to shift some of our shipping capacity from air and ground methods to ocean freight when distributing raw materials and finished goods. This process has eliminated emissions from tractor-trailers and airplanes that would otherwise be required to transport these materials. In addition to reducing our carbon footprint, we have also delivered financial savings of more than $1.5 million dollars through this process.