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Going Green?
Sustainability has been the buzz word in the manufacturing and retail industries for many years now but what exactly are companies doing about it? According to Archie Browning, Sales Director, Andrew Muirhead & Son, many of them are ‘talking the talk’ but are they putting their money where their mouth is?
Andrew Muirhead & Son is part of the Scottish Leather Group, which is made up of Bridge of Weir Leather Company, Andrew Muirhead & Son, NCT Leather Ltd and W.J. & W Lang Ltd. In order to address environmental and sustainability issues head on, the Group set up SLG Technology in 2008, whose main purpose is to implement the subsidiary companies’ environmental policies across the board and look at new ways to reduce their carbon footprint. “I saw an article recently,” says Archie
Browning, “where a leather company was talking about a ‘new’ process. It was strange to read, as we’ve been using the same, if not more advanced, technology for about ten years.” “At Andrew Muirhead & Son we believe in making leather without it costing the earth and have been working to attain and develop our ‘green’ credentials and reduce carbon emissions since 2003.” Itself a by-product of the meat industry, leather
production has traditionally been seen as a high- end consumer of natural resources and fossil fuels. “We take our environmental responsibilities seriously” asserts Browning, “our customers expect it and our reputation as an industry leader demands that we are ahead of the competition. Sustainability is not a choice, it’s a requirement.” “This year we have reduced our carbon footprint for the fifth successive year. We have now decreased by 20 per cent and as such,
received a Carbon Trust Energy Efficiency Award for our efforts.” The Group has a stated objective of achieving
zero waste and is currently working on a strategy to deliver it.
“Landfill costs have risen dramatically over the last few years and anyone who does not address this will be out of business. There are rumours that the Government is also looking at introducing a carbon tax and there is no point in burying your head in the sand and hoping all this will go away, because it won’t.” Andrew Muirhead & Son does not just encourage sustainability by controlling the manufacturing process, the sourcing of hides and ‘hide miles’ are equally important. “We are already using a by-product of the beef industry in our manufacturing process which is in itself recycling. However, if you are importing your hides from Brazil and Argentina you aren’t doing much for your ‘green credentials’,” states Browning. “Higher quality raw materials mean less waste and less intensive processing. We source nearly all our hides from top quality British beef cattle and apply rigorous standards, buying direct from the abattoir to ensure consistency of the end product. “We even employ someone to work directly with the abattoirs to ensure that we have the best hides possible. We demonstrate our quality control throughout the entire manufacturing process. ”
Customer demand can have a major influence on how companies address green issues, and as a supplier to some of the top names in the airline industry, Andrew Muirhead & Son is subject to the exacting standards expected of a preferred supplier. “The backlash against air miles also means that our airline clients are looking to show that they are trying to address the carbon issue in other ways and we are dedicated to helping them achieve this objective. The company has recently supplied leather for the Singapore Airlines and Emirates A380 Airbus and the trend in mega-aircraft is set to continue. According to Airbus, 1,000 new aircraft are forecast to come into operation in each of the next 20 years.” The key to Andrew Muirhead’s success lies in the ability to back up their green message with facts. The company has an environmental policy and statement, which can be viewed on the company website. Browning added: “The continuous investment in technical innovation through SLG Technology has moved our manufacturing process from a craft based operation to a technology driven enterprise with our own manufacturing IP. We also hold ISO 14001 which sets the standard.” It would appear that Andrew Muirhead & Son is on track to beat targets well before Government deadlines come into force As Archie Browning concludes, “Sustainability is not a choice, it’s a requirement.”
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