Sustainability cuts costs, not just compliance: industry leaders

Sustainability is being seen as a direct way to reduce costs and improve efficiency, industry leaders said at the CII TN Sustainability Manufacturing Summit 2026. Tapan Upadhyay of Festo said companies should first find where energy is wasted. He said improperly installed pneumatic tubing can leak 150 litres of compressed air a minute, costing about Rs 1 lakh a year per joint, and oversizing components can increase air consumption by 50%.

Prasant Tiwari of Amara Raja Group said 85% of the lead used in its batteries comes from recycled sources, and the company has set up India's largest lead-recycling smelter. He said early action on regulations like zero liquid discharge and carbon taxation can give a competitive advantage. Ashok Muthuswamy of TAFE said digital prototypes and supplier quality checks help produce more with less, and improving product efficiency is critical because Scope 3 emissions account for 98% of total emissions for many auto firms.