PG Group pledges its support for 49M

The PG Group is a major manufacturer of building and automotive glass and a significant user of energy for its glass furnaces. The group has also been faced with significant cost increases as a result of rising electricity prices and other input costs. It is thus vital for their viability and continued investment in job creation that they subscribe to an energy conservation programme.

Promoting a sustainable future

"It is also very important for PG to support a green energy programme which benefits the group in a number of ways," said Stewart Jennings, CEO of PG Group.

Commending the PG Group for achieving this significant milestone, Pieter Pretorius, senior manager, Strategic Marketing at Eskom said the company's endorsement of the energy saving campaign will go a long way in encouraging other businesses and the South African population to proactively embrace energy saving as a national culture and join the global journey towards a sustainable future.

"The signing of this pledge is yet another milestone in our journey to sustainability which we began in recent years in response to the country's constraint power system. Our mission is to get all South Africans and the business community to start using electricity sparingly. We are therefore delighted that the PG Group has aligned itself with 49M. This partnership will give a strong boost to our education drive to promote energy efficiency and ensure a sustainable future for all," said Pretorius.

Energy-efficient plans

Jennings said several plans have been put in place to improve energy efficiency within its various operations with the aim to reduce energy consumption.

These plans include:

• Modifying furnace configurations and installing latest energy conservation equipment and software;
  
• Installing energy efficient lighting systems;
  
• Running furnaces during off-peak times;
  
• Shutting off part of production during winter months;
  
• Running an internal electricity saving completion throughout the group's 200 sites across South Africa.

To date 49M has signed 109 partners. These include AfriSam, Nkomati Mine, GCIS, CSIR, Santam, Spintelligent, MTN, Samsung, MassMart, Standard Bank, Nedbank, Food & Trees for Africa, Anglo Gold Ashanti and all eight state-owned-companies under the portfolio of Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba.

For more information or to pledge your support, go to www.49m.co.za.