SUSTAINABILITY BUCKETS OF CHANGE
F. Ball and Co. Ltd. has been steadily expanding its Initiative that offers a convenient means of disposing its recyclable packaging for free.
The F. Ball Recycling Scheme provides branded recycling collection units at selected distributor partner sites, offering flooring contractors a cost-free way of disposing empty F. Ball plastic bottles and buckets responsibly.
The number of F. Ball recycling points at wholesaler partners across the UK has been steadily increased in response to a positive reception from the flooring industry and now stands at 30 and counting. With plans to increase this to over 40 locations by the end of 2025.
Flooring professionals can recycle the company’s empty plastic buckets and five and 20 litre plastic bottles used for liquids, primers and tackifiers via the scheme. Much of the packaging itself is also now manufactured from recycled materials, a move that has prevented over 100 tonnes of virgin plastic from entering landfill annually.
WIDER STRATEGY
While its main focus is on product quality and innovation, the company is making environmental responsibility a core part of its business strategy, aiming to ensure long-term sustainability of its operations for the benefit of all stakeholders, including customers, employees and the local community.
This involves evaluating activities at its Staffordshire headquarters, as well as the entire lifecycle of its products when looking for ways to be more sustainable, including reviewing the resources the company uses and its outputs, as well as making efforts to conserve the immediate natural environment.
The manufacturer is striving to reduce the carbon footprint of the business by implementing measures with the aims of both consuming less energy and increasing the proportion of the energy that comes from renewables.
This has involved changes at its Staffordshire headquarters, where F. Ball has installed solar panels to generate a significant amount of the site’s electricity supply. Buildings incorporate the
latest energy efficient technologies, including energy efficient LED lighting, which is either connected to proximity sensors or programmed to turn off when not required. Factories are also equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, including high-efficiency motors and boilers to minimise energy consumption. A gravity-fed mixing plant avoids the need for electric motors to pump material into mixing vessels.
The company has also installed 17 electric vehicle charging points for both company cars and employee vehicles.
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
The sustainability strategy of F. Ball goes beyond the minimum required by law to limit its environmental impact. It operates under a robust environmental management system that has achieved certification to the internationally recognised ISO 14001 standard. This provides a structured framework for continuous improvement and adherence to rigorous environmental protocols and regulations.
Jenny Barnett, Safety, Health, Environmental and Quality (SHEQ) Manager at F. Ball, emphasises the company’s long-term vision, stating: “Sustainability is not just a buzzword for us; it’s an integral part of our business strategy and a commitment we take incredibly seriously. We believe that as a leading flooring industry manufacturer, we have a responsibility to minimise our environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable future. Our initiatives, from our packaging innovations and recycling scheme to our investment in renewable energy, are all steps towards achieving this goal. We are constantly looking for new ways to improve our environmental performance and work collaboratively with our partners and customers to create a more sustainable supply chain.”
Find out more information about the F. Ball Recycling Scheme, including participating wholesalers, on the F. Ball website here.
https://f-ball.com/en
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