ROOFING
SUSTAINABILITY: HANSON
our products in plastic are because it is an all- weather material that is easy for our merchants to stock and store indoors or out. We are, however, looking at ways of reducing the plastic we use to hold the bags to the pallets for delivery by using a method we’ve been trialling with our cement mix- a method recently adopted by a well known beer. This, we hope will reduce the amount of plastic pollution in the area and protect the wildlife we’re hoping to encourage.”
“We’ve also found that certain changes to our packaging, such as changing the branding of our own packed products, from colour print to monochromatic makes a huge difference financially. Merchants would find that by printing their plastic packing in black and white they could save roughly 1p per bag, which makes a big difference when you consider the profit margins for these products in the first place.”
Hanson celebrate their commitment to sustainability in their 2018 Performance and Sustainability Summary Report. “We’ve passed our 2020 target of an 85% reduction in waste to landfill per tonne or production based on the 2010 baseline figure. The amount of
waste sent to landfill in 2017 fell by 35% from 2016.” The report also states that “Total energy consumption per tonne fell for the third consecutive year with a 0.8% fall in energy use per tonne of product from 2016.”
We’ve passed our 2020 target of an 85% reduction in waste to landfill per tonne or production based on the 2010 baseline figure. The amount of waste sent to landfill in 2017 fell by 35% from 2016.
“ ”
While the materials Hanson quarry at the Needingworth site are crucial to the building industry, they only offer a tiny price yield in comparison with other raw materials, for both supplier and merchant. Townsend stresses that to manage this lack of profit margin it’s all about supplying for demand. “If a cement delivery is late, merchants are shouting. If a sand or gravel delivery is late, they’re yelling.” With cost in mind, Hanson offer merchants the chance to order mixed-load deliveries. This includes Hanson stocking and storing other brands’ products at merchants’ requests. “It makes sense to offer merchants as much as we can. This way we can make the most of our fleet while possibly cutting back on the amount of traffic on the roads.” Hanson also have a rail partnership which they use to transport their products across the country, reducing the number of lorries on the road and allowing them to transport much larger
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quantities than by road alone.
“Then there’s our marine operations.” says Townsend “We have four ships that dredge aggregates from the sea and transport them by water. These are big, old investments that have been going for years and are replaced every twenty years or so.” Townsend believes that the sea could be the answer to future land shortage, however merchants often don’t pay much attention to products from the sea. “Merchants need to build a good history of sourcing these products and CE marking them to make the most of all the benefits they offer.”
Keep an eye on the future Townsend concludes with some advice for merchants, “Understanding where products, especially raw materials, come from is key. We at Hanson understand that and want to share our research and knowledge with our merchants as much as possible. This is why we’re developing a module at our Hanson Academy around Base Aggregates, where merchants can receive training for their staff to give the best possible customer service for our products. We are also currently trialling an app for ready-mix to make it easier for merchants to tailor their orders from us in the future.” A big challenge for Hanson has been the two-way security connection between themselves and their merchants. “We have a lot of merchants who have been in the business since the 1940s and they’ve kept their businesses the same. Obviously, when it comes to supplying there has to be a level of trust and security for merchants but there also needs to be some for the supplier. Merchants must secure the future of their businesses, either by modernising or by training the next generation and we are here to help them.” BMJ
• For the full Sustainability report go to:
hanson-sustainability.co.uk
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net November 2018
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