This is the third in a new series of posts from the PLM Green Global Alliance (PGGA) on “Leaders in PLM & Sustainability” where we profile and interview professionals from around the world who are working at the intersection of PLM and Sustainability.
Our goal for these profiles is to both recognize and encourage PLM professionals who are contributing to the greening of Product Lifecycle Management in their own work and industry. This is core to PGGA’s mission of growing a mutually supportive global network between professionals who use, develop, research, market, consult, teach, or support PLM business strategies, technologies and software solutions that have value in transitioning to a more sustainable global economy and environmental ecosystems. We execute this mission by focusing on educating, collaborating, and advocating for the role of PLM in creating a circular economy of low-carbon products and processes.
As referenced in our first profile featuring Mark Reisig, and then our second one recognizing Jos Voskuil, there are numerous technical challenges and career opportunities in leveling then lowering greenhouse gas emissions by the end of this decade as climate scientists warn us is so critical. It’s an exciting time to participate in what may prove to become the most important application of PLM many of us will experience in our careers.
We are now excited to announce that our next recognized “Leader in PLM & Sustainability” is Dave Duncan, who is Vice President of Sustainability at PTC, a well-known provider of PLM-enabling solutions including Windchill and Arena.
Photo Courtesy of PTC
Dave is responsible for the sustainability capabilities of PTC’s product portfolio to help customers sustainably design, manufacture, and service products. He also leads PTC’s internal environmental programs to ensure environmental improvements are aligned with financial goals, both for PTC and its customers. Dave has held various product leadership roles across PTC and took on the leading the company’s sustainability programs in 2022. Dave leads the effort for PTC’s commitment to Science-Based Targets, which will advance PTC’s environmental footprint towards net-zero by 2050. You can learn more about Dave’s leadership along with PTC’s corporate commitment to environmental sustainability by visiting the Sustainability at PTC website page.
We selected Dave after witnessing his enthusiasm when speaking with technical expertise, business insights, and professional passion not just about PLM, but the synergy of PLM + SLM + ALM solutions in tracking then managing a product’s lifecycle emissions and environmental impact. As example, this past summer he met with over 200 manufacturers across 21 European sites to discuss their sustainability-related needs. Dave has also participated in PGGA events hosted by Jos Voskuil and Klaus Brettschneider, including the panel Discussing Sustainability with PTC and recorded presentation on Improving Product Sustainability.
As with our other PLM & Sustainability Leaders, we asked Dave the following question:
“What personally motivates you the most about the opportunities and challenges in using PLM to create a more sustainable, low-carbon, circular economy?”
Dave replied:
“Like many of us in the PLM Green group, I’ve had environmental passion since I was a child. I grew up around smog-choked Northeastern US cities in the 70’s and 80’s. I also served in the military in the 90’s when energy security was a primary mission.
But rather than dwell on my environmental “origin story”, what motivates me today is the drastically improving “wills and ways” to solve our sustainability challenges. When decarbonization and circularity make business sense, the transition is unstoppable.
Twenty years ago, we weren’t even close. Global warming and circularity were niche understandings, and no country could decouple its economic growth from environmental impacts. Modular efficiencies weren’t scaled beyond automotive. Wind and solar couldn’t payback. EV’s were double or more the cost of comparable ICE vehicles, and with hours of charge time for their short ranges. Even LED light bulbs and rechargeable batteries were a rich person’s luxuries.
Today, we can decarbonize over 50% by doing things that we should do anyway for financial benefits. Who buys incandescent lights anymore? Wind, solar, and EV’s are also disrupting the business models of their dirtier predecessors. To push towards net-zero, other dials are turning in supply chain transparency, material science, generative design, service efficiency, circular business models, logistics optimization, smart connected products, simulation, dematerialization, recycling, and more.
Slide Courtesy of PTC
I’m particularly motivated by how PLM practitioners are leveraging modular BOM structures to drive both footprint calculations and circularity. Attribution on the BOM structure can be effective throughout the lifecycle for measurement and analysis. Modularity creates both the supply and demand for reuse/remanufacturing. This is an ideal application of our PLM profession to tackle.
There’s “will” with growing sustainability communities and “ways” with this accelerating innovation and scale. Enterprise PLM is essential to manage at this pace and increment towards cradle-to-cradle offerings. I’m thrilled to be a part of this movement and thank the PGGA for including me as a leader in PLM & Sustainability.”
We very much appreciate and respect the work of Dave and his employer PTC in elevating the conversation about PLM and Sustainability with their own colleagues and customers at such a critical time. In particular, his optimism and encouragement about the unstoppable business case for sustainability is greatly valued.
The PLM Green Global Alliance welcomes hearing from others on who they think is leading our profession forward in PLM and Sustainability. Send your nomination to Richard McFall at richard@plmgreenalliance.com.
Until then, be sure to subscribe to our PLM Green news feed on LinkedIn and receive updates by email from our website.