Bailey of Bristol enters new partnership with leading local Waste Management Company to reduce the environmental impact of its operations
Bailey of Bristol partners new local Waste Management Company to help it continue to reduce the environmental impact of its operations.
As a business we have always believed that what is good for the planet is also good for business, which is why it was the first company in our industry to implement a waste recycling programme over a decade ago. Today the business currently segregates waste materials such as timber (all forms), aluminium, ferrous metal, polystyrene, vinyl, paper, cardboard, plastic film and foodstuffs, which annually equates to 720 tons of waste that is equivalent in weight to 480 caravans or 205 motorhomes.
The recycling culture remains prevalent throughout all areas of the business to the extent that every employee is issued with their own reusable drink cup and water bottle meaning that the use of disposable drinks containers has been all but eliminated on site.
Bailey is now looking to take this programme to the next level after appointing leading local company, ETM Group, as its new waste management agency. ETM Group’s prize asset is a Waste Transfer Centre which is conveniently located less than a mile from Bailey’s South Liberty Lane production facility, meaning minimal travel distances for waste collections and a significantly reduced carbon footprint as a result. This state-of-the-art plant can process 150,000 tonnes of waste from Bristol and the South-West each year and is capable of segregating and recycling 98% of all the mixed commercial waste received to divert it away from landfill sites. More information on ETM and their South Bristol Waste Transfer Centre (including an operational video) can be found here.
Recycling virtually all our commercial waste in future is a big step forward, better still however is reducing the amount of waste at source. Bailey has been working closely with its leading suppliers in this area for some time, to help reduce the amount of packaging they use when delivering the components required to manufacture our leisure vehicles. Where possible we are encouraging the use of reusable returnable packaging to minimize waste and as a result components such as exterior doors, windows, wheels and tyres, electrical wiring looms and even upholstery sets are now delivered without any disposable packing materials.
Examples of these joint initiatives with our supplier partners include leisure vehicle wheels and tyres which are now bound to the pallet using returnable straps instead of single use plastic film.
Little things go a long way… which is why we now use silicone sealant sausages rather than the traditional tubes which generate less waste and actually last longer on the production line.
Caravan and motorhome windows are now arrive neatly stacked using returnable plastic corner packers instead of polystyrene. This not only the environment but also helps prevent damage and potential wastage.
Interior 12v LED light strips are now delivered in returnable crates rather than in individual plastic packets
Once the stock has been delivered, crates and other forms of returnable packaging are sent back to the supplier, ensuring that the return trip is not wasted
Bailey of Bristol’s aim in future is to be become a carbon neutral business and these two initiatives are the latest in a number of changes that the company has made on that journey.
Managing Director Nick Howard commented “we’re delighted to be partnering with ETM, another South Bristol family-owned business, to help us develop a waste management programme compatible with our Net Zero ambitions”.
“This latest initiative is part of the positive action we want to take to help safeguard the environment for the future.” he added.
