An innovative £3 million investment and improvement programme is under way at a Staffordshire manufacturer aimed at putting sustainability at the heart of its operations.
Broxap specialises in the design, manufacture and installation of street furniture including outdoor seating, litter and recycling bins, bollards, shelters and walkways and outdoor gym and playground equipment.
A £1.5 million factory extension is nearing completion, which will make way for a new automated powder coating plant designed to enhance efficiency, increase capacity as well as cut emissions.
It complements a series of investments in equipment and technology across the business as part of Project Transform, a capital expenditure programme to support carbon and energy management; reduce waste; and to generate sustainable product life cycles.
Broxap employs about 220 people at its commercial and production site in Chesterton which includes a 125,000 sq ft manufacturing facility.
The next phase of the continuous investment programme is due to take place at the beginning of this year and will see the installation of solar panels to generate green energy.
Other initiatives under Project Transform include:
- Investment in briquette technology and wood waste heaters to keep the factory warm in winter while reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
- Switching its fleet of forklift trucks to electric vehicles.
- Choosing smart technologies which reduce energy consumption such as a super-efficient fibre laser cutting machine.
- Reducing, reusing and recycling materials to become a certified Zero Waste to Landfill business.
- Reducing site-to-site journeys by consolidating operations all under one roof.
Manufacturing Director Matthew Miles said: “As a responsible family business we felt it was essential to respond to the environmental challenges and other pressures facing the manufacturing sector in a way that will have a positive influence.
“Not only is Project Transform resulting in greener, more efficient operations, it is opening up training opportunities for production staff to build and improve their skills and creating a brighter, cleaner, healthier working environment.
“The products we design, manufacture and install encourage communities to make the most of outdoor spaces and through sustainable manufacturing processes we can optimise their social and environmental benefits.”
Broxap was founded in 1946, moved to Chesterton in the 1970’s and has acquired several companies over the years to complement its product lines.
