INDUCE creates its own methodology to improve energy efficiency in the food and beverage industry

28 Aug INDUCE creates its own methodology to improve energy efficiency in the food and beverage industry

The INDUCE project, financed through the H2020 program, has been running for more than two years with the aim of improving the capacity of European food and beverage companies in energy management. Thus, the project has managed to pool the efforts of different organizations belonging to different countries of the European Union – such as Austria, France, Germany,  Spain and The Netherlands – to implement a methodology that improves capacity energy efficiency in the industrial sector.

The scope of more efficient and sustainable production models is found in the very DNA of the food and beverage industry, and this project contributes to this search by introducing organizational and behavioural changes in company workers, as well as managers and other positions, in order to involve all members in improving business skills to manage energy in this regard.

The INDUCE project has developed different tools, education and training materials or lessons aimed at intervening in the behaviour of organizations, as well as its own and genuine methodology that has been analysed and validated in 15 pilot companies that have participated in the project.

The INDUCE methodology: training adapted to the needs of each business

One of the main achievements of this project, therefore, has been the development of its own methodology for the implementation of training programs in energy efficiency that put the human factor at the centre through training courses and interventions that promote motivation of all actors that influence a business and the creation of a culture of energy efficiency in all its members.

The INDUCE methodology allows adapting the different training and education courses to the needs and opportunities of each organization. To do this, it starts from a holistic approach and considers the set of all the socio-cultural, organizational and technical factors of each business, which directly influence the energy management of companies in order to produce specifically designed materials focused on the real demands of each sector company.

To ensure the effectiveness of this working method, all the materials used have been tested in 15 pilot companies in four European countries representing 45% of the companies in the sector. In Spain, for example, Casa Matachín, Camposeven, Fruselva, Grupo Carinsa and Mahou-San Miguel have participated. These companies have implemented the teachings and tools that the project facilitates within its production strategy for two years to test its performance. In France, companies that have participated in the development of the project have been Compagnie des Pâtissiers, François Doucet Confiseur and Sylla. Germany has collaborated with Darguner Brewery, Reinert Westfälische Privat-Fleischerei GmbH and Suikerunie. Dutch companies Burg Groep BV., Kerry B.V. and Suiker unie have also worked as pilot companies testing the methodology.

All training available on the online platform

One of the main objectives of the project has been the dissemination of the knowledge issued from the methodology and the learning that has been obtained through its implementation in the pilot companies to the rest of the companies in the food and beverage industry.

To do this, INDUCE project has offered the material developed to all companies and industries in the sector, to transmit the skills that have been acquired through the introduction of this tool in the companies that have participated. Thus, all training resources, online courses, guidelines, or toolkits are available in an open digital platform. Through this platform, companies in the sector can also contact trainers to ask questions and concerns or to be trained.

INDUCE training workshops

To transfer the learning and innovative methodology of the project, consortium partners have organized training workshops on this methodology, to spread it and make it known in their respective countries.

These activities are born from the interest of the project in reviewing results that have been obtained through the implementation of the methodology. Some of the latest workshops that have been celebrated are:

INDUCE workshop held in the Netherlands at the annual FNLI (Federation of the Dutch Food Industry) event in Amersfoort on October 10^th, 2019, aimed at the food sector.

German workshop took place on July 13^th, 2020. FPI (-Processing Initiative e.V.) organized this workshop as a one-hour online session plus extra time for discussion. This format was chosen to attract the German food and beverage companies, energy consultants and other stakeholders that are always dealing with time issues.

French partners ACTIA (Technical Coordination Association for the Food and Beverage Industry), and CRITT PACA (Regional Centre for Innovation and Transfer of Agro-food Technologies) organized their workshop on energy efficiency within the framework of the project aimed at the food industry, on July 7^th, 2020.

Spanish members, CIRCE and FIAB, organized the online training session on the methodology, in June 18^th, 2020, with the collaboration of pilot companies that have participated in the project. In addition, this training was completed with two online seminars on energy management systems in the food industry, in June 25^th, 2020, and on innovation in energy efficiency and sustainability and circular economy, in July 2^nd , 2020.