Injection moulders live in an increasingly competitive market, particularly when trying to retain orders against foreign competition. Every possible avenue for cost reductions must be explored. It is easier to identify the more substantial power costs when operating large machines. However, the cost of electricity is becoming equally significant for moulders when operating multiple small to medium machine plants. In some countries, the cost of electricity may include premiums (or levies as in the case of the UK) on the basic electricity cost to satisfy environmental demands when Governments are committed to reducing power consumption as part of their environmental conservation programmes. Also increasingly manufacturers and in particular, injection moulders, must recognise ecological requirements including International Standard Directive ISO 14001 Best Practice. In the long run, moulders in general will only devote time and effort towards reducing energy consumption if there are tangible cost savings in production, and specifically when reducing the cost of operating moulding machines. They will express pride in using energy more efficiently for environmental reasons, but at the end of the day, it is cost savings that really count and when they are reflected on the bottom line of end of the year accounts.
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