BALCO Pioneers Sustainability Efforts with Successful Implementation of Electric Forklifts
Balconagar, Korba; 22nd July, 2023: Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer, and a subsidiary of Vedanta Aluminium, announces a significant stride in its journey towards a greener and more sustainable future. With the successful integration of six electric forklifts in its plant operations, BALCO takes a momentous step towards transitioning to 100% electric forklifts company-wide.
Forklifts play a crucial role in BALCO’s day-to-day operations, facilitating tasks such as finished goods movement, breakdown and maintenance handling, raw material movement, store management, and warehouse operations.
Motivated by an unwavering commitment to sustainability and a firm resolve to reduce its carbon footprint, BALCO’s decision to embrace electric forklifts exemplifies its dedication to environmental responsibility. This eco-friendly initiative is poised to make a substantial impact, with an estimated annual reduction of approximately 85,000 liters of diesel consumption, leading to an impressive decrease of 246 tons of CO2 emissions per year. This milestone closely aligns with BALCO’s ambitious vision of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2050 or even sooner.
Beyond the commendable environmental benefits, these electric forklifts are equipped with a range of advanced safety features, further underscoring BALCO’s commitment to employee well-being and adherence to rigorous vehicle and driving standards. Notable safety features include soft landing for load safety, AC traction motor, curve control, enhanced visibility through the overhead guard, reverse horn with handle, wider rear tires for increased stability, red zone light, blue spotlight, and more.
Addressing BALCO’s long-term commitment to decarbonizing its operations, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO & Director, BALCO, expressed, “BALCO is determined to actively contribute to the sustainable growth of Chhattisgarh and India as a whole. Our relentless pursuit of innovative ways to integrate the principles of zero harm, zero waste, and zero discharge into our operations demonstrates our dedication to decarbonization. Through such initiatives, we aim to create a sustainable future for generations to come, and we wholeheartedly drive the Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) dimensions of sustainability to build a greener tomorrow.”
Prior to this milestone achievement, BALCO had also introduced electric vehicles for internal plant movement. Furthermore, the company has taken significant steps in decarbonizing its operations, including the use of bio-diesel as fuel for technological vehicles used in transportation across the plant.
In line with its commitment to environmental conservation, BALCO has received industry recognition for its sustainability efforts. Awards such as the ‘Sustainable Factory of the Year’ by Frost and Sullivan and the ‘GreenCo Silver’ in the CII Green Company Rating System highlight the company’s dedication to fostering a greener future. BALCO continues to explore greener alternatives to diversify its energy sources, reaffirming its position as a frontrunner in the sustainable transformation of the industry.
About Vedanta Limited
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa, Namibia, and Australia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. Under the aegis of Vedanta Cares, the flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars have been set up as model anganwadis focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. Vedanta and its group companies have been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2020, and were conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020, CII Environmental Best Practices Award 2020, CSR Health Impact Award 2020, CII National Award 2020 for Excellence in Water Management, CII Digital Transformation Award 2020, ICSI National Award 2020 for excellence in Corporate Governance, People First HR Excellence Award 2020, ‘Company with Great Managers 2020’ by People Business and certified as a Great Place to Work 2021. Vedanta’s flagship Nand Ghar Project was identified as best CSR project by the Government of Rajasthan. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in India and has ADRs listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
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