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If youve proven your product on a pilot line, and its time to turn up real-world production, beware because many companies stumble on their first large-scale build. Before you pour concrete or sign any equipment orders, look at the full landscape of challenges: engineering, supply chain, utilities, and the human relationships that hold it all together. Scaling up isnt as simple as adding another shift. Its multiplying everything you do by orders of magnitude. Moving from pilot lots to commercial volumes often means a 1,000- to 10,000-fold jump in throughput, with megawatts of electrical load, and water usage that can rival a small town. Construction alone can run $300- to $950-per-square-foot before a single machine is installed on the floor. Miss the mark and the cost isnt just financial; its reputational. Schedule slips, lost customers, and bruised reputations follow fast. To move from pilot line to production line with confidence, follow these four steps for a successful scale-up. Master the process First, nail down the process by mapping the critical quality parameters like temperature, humidity, pressure, cycle time, purity, and set hard limits for each. Then, stress test them, and challenge your R&D team better. Run design-of-experiments on the pilot line or in a digital model to reveal where small shifts can trigger big cost savings. For instance, one client learned that relaxing humidity from 1% to 5% would half HVAC tonnage and save millions in capital expenditures and operating expendituresproof that tiny tweaks can save a budget. By truly grasping the process, you can size every supporting elementutilities, material flow, staffing, and automationas one integrated system rather than a patchwork of guesses. Capture the data, lock the findings into a concise process design package, and carry that document forward. When you know exactly what the process is, the next steps become simpler and cheaper. Dont underestimate planning Start with the end in mind by defining must-hit key performance metrics (KPIs) and assign a value to each. Look past day one, and sketch how the site should flex five, 10 or even 15 years out to ensure that any expansion wont require a new round of demolition. Build your budget around total cost of ownership because operating expenses usually eclipse capital expenses within the first few years. Early in design, run what-if scenarios on power, water, logistics, and labor to see where small changes may unlock big lifetime savings. A solid plan also links directly to the process data you just captured, allowing you to size utilities, floor space, and headcount as one coherent ecosystem instead of a series of isolated line items. Always remember that good planning can overcome poor execution, but poor planning cant be overcome by the best project execution. Find the right team Scaling up succeeds or fails on people. Name a dedicated project leader with the authority to make fast decisions and free that person from the distractions of their current day job. Build a core owners team that blends operations, engineering, finance, with environmental, health, and safety, so that key decisions are vetted through multiple lenses in real time. When selecting outside partners, look for firms with proven scale-up experience and incentives that align with yours. Create mutually beneficial contracts that keep everyone rowing in the same direction. Onboard partners early, regularly co-locate them physically or in a virtual war room, and encourage short, recurring stand-ups to surface issues before they become costly delays. A well-constructed, well-aligned team will turn your solid plan into an on-time, on-budget reality. The wrong team will burn through schedule, cash, and goodwill faster than any technical misstep. Implement strong management Once ground is broken, disciple becomes the differentiator. Put a seasoned program manager at the helm to own the master schedule, budget, and KPI dashboard. Resist the temptation to micromanage the process, rather schedule regular data-driven reviews that spotlight variances early while they are still cheap to fix. Pair that oversight with a formal management-of-change process, changes to scope, design, or materials routes through a single, transparent workflow that weights cost, timeline, safety, and regulatory impact before approval. Finally, capture lessons learned in real-time, not at project closeout, so improvements feed straight back into construction and into future scale-ups. Strong, visible management turns a good team and a good plan into a plant that starts up on time and performs from day one. Do these four things well, and your new facility wont merely open on schedule, it will deliver the throughput, quality, and cost profile that turns a promising idea into a market-shaping reality. Mike Sewell is director of innovation at Gresham Smith.
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E-Commerce
Critical minerals underpin our countrys transition to energy dominance. These minerals are found in everything from battery storage to geothermal technology, nuclear energy, transportation, and more.Without critical minerals we cannot produce batteries, and without batteries we cannot power the devices we use every day in business and at home. Our reliance on batteries is only expected to increase. According to the International Energy Agency, global battery manufacturing capacity reached 3 terawatt-hours in 2024. The agency predicts that we could see another tripling of production in the next five years.For the United States to be a legitimate contender in this sector, we need to increase our access to critical minerals. This means diversifying our supply chains and becoming leading producers of these metals. To do this, we need to understand where and how our nation sources these materials. We also need to share the benefits of battery recycling as a primary source of these materials with a broader audience. Opening new U.S. mines is challenging The key metals that go into making rechargeable batteries are found in electronics, data energy storage systems, vehicles, tablets, and smartphones. Lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese are the primary materials found in rechargeable batteries.In the U.S., there is one active mine for lithium and one for nickel. There are no U.S. mines for cobalt and manganese, despite recent efforts to open a cobalt mine.Opening a new U.S. mine requires three key elements: financing that demonstrates a positive return, a high-quality resource with sufficient size and quality, and community support. Some projects have suspended operations due to failures in one or more of these areas.As a result, the U.S. relies heavily on lithium imports from mineral-rich countries like Australia, Chile, and China. The Democratic Republic of Congo leads in global cobalt production, with Australia, Brazil, and Indonesia possessing some of the largest nickel reserves.Cobalt can be very hard to find, and big deposits are rare. The Salmon River Mountains in Idaho have one of the only known deposits in the country. Lithium and nickel can be found across the country, and there are exploratory plans underway to open other mines but that is a long-term solution for establishing domestic supply chains Battery recycling can provide critical minerals In the short-term, the U.S. can turn to battery recycling to capture and refine a diverse range of critical minerals. Although the battery recycling sector has been around for decades, it has been under used as a compliment to mining and a strategic way to diversify and strengthen our domestic supply chains. Critical minerals must be mined and purified to create the electronic devices we use today so why not reuse these minerals over and over again.The Energy Department reported in 2023 that the United States had battery recycling facilities capable of reclaiming more than 35,000 tons of battery materials and that number is growing. With the current U.S. capacity to process and refine end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap into battery-grade materials to manufacture new batteries, we are already well positioned to increase our domestic supplies and keep the materials we already have within our borders.Battery recycling offers the U.S. an immediate opportunity to enhance its national security by strengthening our domestic supply chains. When we arent sourcing materials from foreign entities, we are less vulnerable to global disruptions. In the long-term, through battery recycling, we can increase our global competitiveness in the critical minerals industry by creating a closed-loop supply chain of these materials.The topic of critical minerals impacts a vast range of industries and is too important to not take immediate action. Battery recycling is a key component to securing our nations critical mineral independence and becoming a dominant player in onshoring critical mineral production and manufacturing.David Klanecky is CEO and President of Cirba Solutions
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E-Commerce
Climate change has many signalsrising sea levels, melting glaciers, stronger stormsbut the first and most immediate sign for most people on the planet is water. Not too much of it. Not too little. But both. At once. Water scarcity stands as a leading indicator of climate change, demanding urgent attention. Water is no longer just a resource issue. Its not a next decade concern. Its a frontline climate challenge happening in real timeone that touches every aspect of life, industry, and geopolitics. Many of the worlds most water-stressed regions are already experiencing the effects of intensifying water challenges. In these areas, the impacts are not theoreticaltheyre visible in the declining quality and reliability of water supplies, and in the growing urgency faced by the industries and communities that rely on them. Water scarcity is climate change in action Unlike carbon emissions, which are invisible and cumulative, water scarcity is visible, tangible, and immediate. It shows up in headlines and household faucets. It drives migration and market volatility. It disrupts food, energy, and technology supply chains. Heres why water scarcity is the most compellingand overlookedindicator of climate change: 1. It hits the ground first Before a factory floods or a forest burns, its often water that goes missing. Climate change alters rainfall patterns, accelerates droughts, and disrupts groundwater recharge. Rivers shrink. Reservoirs dry up. Aquifers are overdrawn. In Chennai, India, a city of over 10 million, taps went dry in 2019 due to failed monsoons. In California, the combination of heat and drought has devastated agriculture and forced groundwater restrictions. In the Middle East, water scarcity is reshaping everything from food policy to regional diplomacy. 2. It connects every sector Water is more than a utility cost. It is a critical input for energy, food, manufacturing, and technology. Without reliable water, you cant make semiconductors, produce vaccines, drill for oil, or grow wheat. When water becomes scarce or unreliable, entire industries are forced to shut down or relocate. Companies face higher operating costs, lower yields, and increased reputational risk. This makes water scarcity not just an environmental concern, but core business and economic risks. 3. Its a local problem with global ripples Unlike greenhouse gases, with global impacts, water scarcity is deeply local. It affects regions differently, based on climate, infrastructure, and population. But the ripple effects are global. A water shortage in Taiwan can disrupt chip supplies in Detroit. Drought in Brazil can affect global food prices. Water stress in the Gulf can reshape energy strategy. In this way, water scarcity localizes the climate crisismaking it real for governments, corporations, and individuals who might otherwise see climate change as abstract or far off. A crisis of management, not just supply While the planets total water volume remains constant, the problem lies in how we manage, treat, and reuse that water. Less than 1% of the Earths water is readily available and usable by humans. And yet we waste it. We pollute it. We fail to recycle it at scale. Climate change amplifies this fragility by making water increasingly volatileless predictable in timing, quantity, and quality. More floods. Longer droughts. More contaminated sources. The solution isnt to find new water. Its to use the water we have more wisely. At Gradiant, our focus is on technologies that: Recycle and reuse industrial wastewater. Remove emerging contaminants like PFAS. Make water treatment more energy-efficient. Turn waste into valuerecovering not just water, but chemicals and energy in the process. These practices are increasingly being adopted across industries to optimize water use and build more resilient systems. Water scarcity is a boardroom issue Historically, water was a back-of-the-plant issuesomething managed by facilities or environmental health and safety teams. Today, it belongs in the boardroom. Why? Because water is now a constraint on growth, resilience, and license to operate. Investors are asking about it. Regulators are acting on it. Communities are protesting over it. If your business depends on waterand nearly every business doesyou need a strategy that: Secures supply across changing climates. Reduces dependency on freshwater. Minimizes wastewater liabilities. Aligns with ESG frameworks and disclosure. The companies that act now will not just protect their operationsthey will lead the transition to a water-secure future. Innovation has arrivednow its time for action The good news is that we have the technologies to address water scarcity. Desalination has become more efficient. Zero liquid discharge systems are economically viable. AI can optimize treatment and distribution in real time. Whats missing is not innovationits investment, policy alignment, and urgency. We need governments to incentivize water reuse, not just conservation. We need industry to treat water as a strategic asset. And we need collaboration across sectors to accelerate deployment. The good news is that solving water is not only possibleits profitable. We can reduce water risk while enabling growth. Regulatory pressure can be transformed into competitive advantage, and sustainability and performance are not trade-offs, but twin engines of success. The future will be measured in drops As the climate crisis accelerates, the role of water will only grow. We must stop thinking of water as a passive victim of climate change and recognize it as its most sensitive sensor. Just as a fever signals infection in the human body, water stress signals planetary imbalance. Its the first symptomand if we ignore it, the consequences spread fast. But unlike other climate metrics, water gives us a chance to act now, at local levels, with direct impact. We can measure it. We can treat it. We can reuse it. We can decarbonize it. Thats why water is the leading indicator of climate changeits also our most actionable opportunity. Final thoughts Water doesnt have a voice, but it speaks volumes. It tells us where systems are breaking down. It tells us which communities are vulnerable. It tells us whether our industries and infrastructures are ready for the world ahead. The time to act is nowbefore the drip becomes a drought, and before the warning becomes a catastrophe. Water is not just a piece of the puzzle it IS the puzzle. Prakash Govindan is COO and Anurag Bajpayee is CEO of Gradiant.
Category:
E-Commerce
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