NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / April 17, 2025 / As we integrate circularity into our manufacturing operations, we’re reimagining product lifecycles, conserving resources, cutting emissions and driving growth through sustainability.
This article is authored by Jenelle Shapiro, Sustainability and Circularity Leader, Trane Technologies.
We live in an era where finite materials and critical resources are being depleted at an alarming rate. To ensure the long-term health of our business and a thriving planet, we need to rethink how we leverage our limited resources while reducing our emissions. But how do we achieve that goal? Enter circularity – a system designed to maximize the functional life and value of products and materials while tackling climate change and biodiversity loss.
At Trane Technologies, we’ve embarked on a pioneering journey to build circularity into the core of our business, implementing circular systems throughout our value chain to drive innovation and impact at all levels.
By rethinking traditional design and production processes, we’ll spark the development of new materials and technologies. By expanding our internal systems and external supplier processes for material repurpose and repair, we’ll safeguard the environment and our supply chain. And by integrating circular systems throughout our operations, we’ll create improved business models that deliver long-term value.
A circularity definition
At its highest level, circularity is a system that maintains the value and usability of products, materials and resources for as long as possible while minimizing waste. To achieve this goal, we source products, equipment and materials efficiently and preserve their value to the fullest extent by reusing, redistributing, remanufacturing or recycling.
By embracing circularity, we’re creating a business ecosystem that is both more resilient and less carbon-intensive. The result? A future where the full transition to a circular economy helps scale profitability.
Six key circularity pillars
Our circularity strategy focuses on six key pillars that touch every stage of our value chain, from initial product design to end-of-life.
Sustainable & circular design: We plan for the full equipment lifecycle during the product design stage, creating systems that are easily repaired, refurbished or recycled.
Material selection: As we select materials, we prioritize those with low environmental impact, incentivizing a circular and sustainable supply chain.
Maintain, prolong, share: We keep products and materials in use by maintaining them to extend their useful life while minimizing upgrades and unnecessary replacements.
Reuse, redistribute: We use products and components multiple times for their intended purpose without significant modification, conserving valuable resources.
Remanufacture, repair: Instead of disposal, we return our products or components into good working order by prioritizing upgrades, repairs, refurbishments or replacements of disassembled parts.
Recycle: Whenever possible, we transform our scrap and end-of-life products back into their base materials to reprocess them into new products, minimizing waste and maximizing material quality and value.
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