The Environment Award will be given to the company that, in the opinion of the judges, demonstrated the most significant and successful application of ‘Green’ processes, procedures or monitoring during the year.
MINICLIPPER LOGISTICS LTD
With its main distribution centre surrounded by housing and three additional warehouses located close to major conurbations, Miniclipper Logistics’ environmental considerations include:
• Noise minimisation
• Hazchem spillage control
• Vehicle emissions
• Best use of solar power
• Energy saving devices (lighting, water)
• Recycling as much waste as possible
The company continuously strives to make positive changes to its green policies as a way of demonstrating to customers, employees and its neighbours that it cares about the consequences of its transport and warehousing operations.
For example, the company has replaced lighting at all of its warehouses with efficient and sustainable lighting systems, which yield fast financial returns and improve the brightness in its facilities.
The company recently undertook a full review of its environmental policy and, as a result, wood, plastic, paper, card and metal is separated and recycled and removed by recycling companies.
Furthermore, two balers have been installed for plastic and cardboard; office paper is shredded and used as packing material in the warehouse and 90 per cent of incoming cardboard boxes are reused for packing.
Zero general waste now goes to landfill and in 2016 over 14 tonnes of material will be certified as recycled.
LENHAM STORAGE LTD
Lenham Storage specialise in the storage and distribution of grocery products.
With the number of convenience stores opening on the increase, Lenham sought a low carbon solution to serve them. Electric vehicles were considered but dismissed due to their limited range. Biogas-powered vehicles were thought to offer potential but they too lacked significant benefits thanks to the detours Lenham’s trucks would need to make to visit re-fuelling station that held supplies of biofuel.
Eventually the company opted for a Mercedes Benz diesel-electric hybrid truck.
The first of its type in operation within the UK, the truck offers annual carbon savings of 15 tonnes.
As a result of the success of their first hybrid, Lenham has invested in several additional 7.5 tonne models and 4 per cent of the company’s fleet is now diesel-electric-powered.
The company has also embarked on an initiative to undertake deliveries during the night. Such has been the success of the switch that Lenham now uses less vehicles, suffers less congestion and consumes
less diesel – factors which deliver a carbon saving of 10 per cent. Lenham’s green credentials are further enhanced by the company’s introduction of a collection service for baled cardboard, plastic, paper and cans.
The collections are made during delivery runs to customer sites and have removed the need for customers to employ dedicated waste trucks from collecting. Lenham’s initiatives were recognised when one of its clients – Waitrose – presented the company with its ‘Treading Lightly’ award for carbon reduction.
THE FINISHING LINE
Incorporated in 1987, The Finishing Line handles much of the magazine volume that is finished in the UK. Magazines are distributed on a sale or return basis and those that are not sold mainly end up in landfill.
Some 1 billion magazines enter the UK market each year, so the industry has had to develop processes for recycling in an efficient and responsible fashion. A common promotional feature of the magazine industry is “value added gifts” on the front cover. Indeed, it is estimated that of the magazines produced in the UK, 10 per cent use some form of covermounted gift to promote their sale.
The Finishing Line aims to highlight to publishers the opportunity for reusing these gifts thereby reducing the environmental impact of this activity and contributing to the circular economy.
The company is successfully working with publishers, distributors and other key stakeholders to deliver change and estimates that as a result of its efforts during 2016 over three million magazines and gifts will be diverted from landfill. Three million returns diverted from landfill is the equivalent of a saving of 522.4 tonnes of CO2.
The Finishing Line is re-using the gifts and, by doing so, is also helping to increase profitability for its customers.
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