Selected SMEs and industry sectors to undergo RECP audits
EU4Environment RECP team in Armenia has conducted a number of Demonstration company visits to identify suitable SMEs and future partnerships with private sector companies to collaborate on RECP audits. SMEs were identified through initial research, company visits, presentations of project benefits during the bilateral meetings, in line with Government recommended sectors, which were prioritized in the EU for Environment Work Plan document. Hence, the RA Government has suggested to include plastic producing companies and fish producers in the list.
In addition to the abovementioned sectors, the project has selected industries with significant economic and industrial potential for Gyumri (Shirak Region), which is textile production.
Food and agricultural processing has been one of the most promising economic potentials from the perspective of economic development, and has a good potential for “Recovery and recycling of organic waste (biogas, fuel, by-products), sterilization and pasteurization, concentration, cleaning, CIP, as well as savings in water and energy sectors”, in line with the recommendation of Technical report on “ Sectors and Training topics, first draft: ARMENIA” by EU4Environment. Metal processing, recommended by the same Technical report, was also included in the list of SMEs.
The list was enriched with companies, which represent a good mixture of industries of chemical and plastic production, recommended by the Technical Report, and has good potential from the point of view of RECP.
The project has targeted regions where no RECP demonstrations were conducted during the previous project: those are Shirak, Gegharkunik, Ararat and Yerevan. The following Selection criteria have been developed and used for the identification of RECP potential in companies.
SME selection criteria
- Openness for cooperation and provision of documentation and data,
- Financial expenditures and income data,
- Accounting, resource and material related data, reports, monthly expenses,
- Internal expenditure reports and input material change options, including costs for energy, water, input materials, waste/wastewater treatment facilities and potential for recycling,
- Key water disposal or reuse opportunities,
- Potential for reducing material costs,
- Available technology change options and equipment modification to improve economic, material losses and environmental performance,
- Better process control,
- On-site recovery/reuse,
- Production of useful by-products,
- Product modification
- Readiness to allocate time and resources for RECP coaching of SME staff and collaboration during assessments,
- Impact of COVID19 crisis on SMEs, their readiness and ability to continue operations within critical conditions.
Among suggested fish production companies 100% represents currently active producers dealing with fish farming, with an established production cycle and supply market. Currently, all selected SMEs, including plastic producer companies, were interviewed and selected for preliminary scanning visits.
