Inside the factory: how does Nelo ensure the environmental friendliness of boat production
Above the scales at the end of the Nelo production line is a screen with two dials on which the company's goals are set. The goal is to produce 24 boats per day and 120 per week. Nelo is the official supplier of sprint canoe boats for the Olympic Games and one of the gold partners of the International Canoe Federation. It has come a long way since the founder of Nelo, Manuel Ramos, a former Portuguese rower, started building boats in his father's garage with the help of his brother in the late 1970s. His business has experienced rapid growth, manufacturing and selling top-class boats in more than 100 countries around the world. The 20,000 m2 Nelo factory in Vila do Conde on the outskirts of Porto, Portugal, manufactures boats. Models ranging from the Moskito, which changed the sport when it was launched in the late 1990s due to its technical achievements, to the Nelo 7, created for Tokyo 2020, are proudly displayed at the entrance to the factory doors. Nelo employs more than 150 people, each of whom plays a crucial role in ensuring maximum speed and efficiency of boats for rowers. Fabrics are cut with high precision, and small details such as seats, rudders and footrests are precisely assembled. Photos of Olympic champions who used Nelo boats adorn the walls of the main workshop of the factory, where the boats take shape. The shapes of the hull and deck are created taking into account the size of the boats, then they are painted and then placed in ovens to dry. Mr. Ramos is constantly present on his bike, driving around the factory and making sure that every component of the production process is running smoothly. Each boat is hand-polished for at least one hour before installing the seats and footrests. The quality control team then carefully inspects the boats to identify any defects that need to be repaired. After weighing and packing, the boats are shipped worldwide. Just look at the list of Olympic medalists to see the success of the Nelo boats. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, athletes using Nelo boats won 25 medals in sprint canoeing, including eight gold, seven silver and 10 bronze. Although results at major events are important, there are three other words starting with the letter "R" that characterize Nelo's success. "Reuse", "Recycling" and "Reduction" are key words in Nelo's efforts to put sustainability at the heart of production. Nelo has tried to better separate its waste in order to understand whether it can be disposed of and discarded. Handlebars are created from recycled plastic bottles, carbon waste is used to make backpacks and watch stands, and loads are replaced with reusable materials such as resin or polyester. Measures have also been taken to reduce water consumption at the plant, while solar panels are used to produce energy to almost 60 percent of its total consumption. Nero has entered into a partnership with Sea Shepherd, a non-profit organization whose goal is to protect and preserve marine life, protect the biodiversity of the oceans and ensure that future generations can benefit from the planet's natural resources. The Nelo 400, hailed as a "boat for everyone", is a model of sustainable development. The boat, designed for people of any level of training, consists of 50 percent recycled materials. Due to the durability of the Nelo 400, it can last for many years, which means that there is less need to build more kayaks and avoid wasting natural resources. The Nelo 400 highlights the company's commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by helping to realize the ICF's mission of sustainable development in the paddle sports community.
