WATER & WATER DISPENSERS He urged delegates to consider training


Focus falls on wellbeing, statistics and AI at WHA conference


T


he Water-Dispenser & Hydration Association (WHA) held its bi-annual conference at the Nottingham Belfry,


attended by members and non-members who were treated to an interesting line up of speakers who touched on subjects ranging from wellbeing to the effective use of AI. Entitled, Rising To The Challenge:


Leading The Future Of Hydration, the event, opened by WHA chair Matthew Stimpson, was billed as a ‘tremendous opportunity’ for all businesses within the water dispenser market.


Water brand strengthens sustainability commitment with new initiatives


Wenlock Spring is reinforcing its long- standing commitment to sustainability with plans to further reduce its carbon emissions, increase renewable energy use, and advance sustainable packaging. Matthew Orme, Director of Wenlock


Spring, said the company’s approach to sustainability was not about following trends but staying true to its values.


“Sustainability isn’t an add-on for us - it’s who we are,” he said. “As a family-run business, we take our responsibility to the environment personally. Our land, our water, and our business are all connected, and every decision we make is about protecting and preserving them for future generations.”


18 | vendinginternational-online.com


One of the highlights of the morning was a session from Alistair Banks (top left) from digital marketing agency, Optrix Solutions, who imparted his expertise to show delegates how to make generative AI work for them on a daily basis. To describe how AI could be used, he


created a fictional working week in which he showed how several daily tasks could be successfully completed using the technology – saving time and effort and effectively making generative AI “another member of the team”.


up staff in the use of AI – a step he views as not only good for business, but also offering staff valuable knowledge on how to use AI. In other highlights, guests were able to get to grips with all the latest statistics in the water and water dispenser industry from market research specialist Zenith Global’s Akos Petri. (See pg 4) while new WHA members Ben McGannan & Carin Söderberg, The Wellbeing People, explored practical steps to enhance employee wellness and productivity. WHA general manager Phillipa Clow also reported back to delegates following her trip to Zambia to visit borehole installations undertaken by the association’s charity, Just a Drop. The conference closed with a walk down memory lane with Olympian Roger Black (top right) who entertained guests with anecdotes from his career, his numerous highs and lows and his success in the face of adversity after being diagnosed with a congenital heart condition at the age of 11. A trade show and industry dinner were held following the conference, and throughout the day funds were raised for Just a Drop through a silent auction and donations. A full review of the event will run in the May edition of Vending International.


Some of the steps the company has taken include: • Installed 741 solar panels, cutting carbon emissions by 175. • On-site carbon-neutral biomass boilers provide hot water cutting energy use by 24 per cent.


• Growing 25 acres of Miscanthus grass to fuel biomass boilers. • A further 1,700 trees have been planted, capturing 35 tonnes of CO2 per year and strengthening biodiversity around the company’s protected spring.


• Implementing advanced heat recovery that cuts energy use by 22 per cent.


• Recovering air from rPET bottle blower to reduce compressed air usage.


• Capturing waste heat from air compressors to heat water, which is stored for later use.


• The company was among the first UK brands to introduce recycled PET (rPET) bottles.


• Lighter-weight glass bottles are made with 40 per cent recycled glass. • Aluminium cans provide an alternative for eco-conscious consumers seeking a sustainable hydration option.


“Our responsibility goes beyond simply producing great-tasting


natural spring water. It’s about how we do it, and that means using renewable energy, protecting biodiversity, and continuously improving our environmental impact,” Matthew said. “We’ve always believed that sustainability should be built into the very core of our business. That’s why we’ve invested in making our bottles and cans as sustainable as possible.”


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