The Rice Husk solution: Pilmico’s innovation for sustainability
Fuel and energy are key factors of Pilmico’s feed production process. Great amounts of heat and steam are required to create high-quality products. Bunker fuel is the most common fuel resource; unfortunately, it is also non-renewable.
In an effort to reduce consumption, beginning November of 2016 Pilmico began using rice husks, a by-product of rice mills from rice production, as an alternative to bunker fuel. Also anchored on the Aboitiz Group’s program, Race to Reduce, Pilmico used this as an avenue to be green while also lessening the costs of production.
On its first year of implementation, Pilmico was able to save almost half of its bunker fuel use which continued on until 2018, where fuel savings increased further by another 26%. Through this the company’s production process has seen a significant improvement, cutting fuel use by more than 60%.
This improvement is only one of Pilmico’s sustainability efforts. In 2008, Pilmico’s swine farm facility in Tarlac also constructed and introduced a biogas system that converts hogs’ waste into fuel for generators, making their farms partially self-sufficient for its electricity requirement.
Through efforts like this, it shows how Pilmico continually looks for innovative ways to operate the business for the better. Pilmico advances business and communities by finding solutions that create an impact not just on the company but to the community and environment, as well.
