Our latest sustainability action may sound like a small thing. However, research shows that 10 percent of the energy used in the general industry comes from the compression of air. On top of that, 30 percent of the compressed air is wasted due to leakages in the air distribution network.

Jotun has set a target to reduce the carbon footprint from our operations with 50 percent by 2030. One of the main drivers is electricity consumption.

With 39 factories throughout the world, our operations consume substantial amounts of compressed air. For that reason, air leakage saving has been identified as a high priority electricity saving program.

Jotun Turkey has taken the lead. The company has invested in ultrasonic equipment and training, and the first campaigns of locating and closing air leakages have proven to be highly successful.

“After one inspection in our Powder Coatings factory, we found a total of 245.6 m3 worth of air leakage. This leads to approx. 10,000 EUR in energy savings and a potential CO2e saving of 32 tonnes”, says Maintenance Manager Bahadir Buyukeren.

The Jotun Turkey team has continued with regular inspections and repairs throughout the entire site. Going forward, they expect significant savings in both areas.

The program is now rolled out on a global scale. By year-end, all Jotun sites shall complete an air leakage survey. In 2023, all sites will buy measurement equipment and build relevant competence.

Closing these leakages will support sustainability in two ways.

• Firstly, it can reduce up to 3 percent of the total electrical consumption.
• Secondly, it will reduce investment and operations costs.

A survey from the Jotun Zhangjiagang factory in China reported 148 air leakages at one site. Aggregated for all Jotun factories, the yearly saving potential is estimated to be 1 million EUR annually. Removal of air leakages has the potential to reduce our carbon footprint by 2,700 tonnes of CO2e.