www.bfpa.co.uk 69 Ken Cleal: “Stauff UK does not approach sustainability as a tick-box exercise. We are passionate about this topic and the requirements for sustainable business practices and business partners.” imported carbon-intensive goods, such as aluminium, cement, iron and steel. CBAM became law on 1 January this year for any goods being transformed into or out of Europe, and by 2027 it will become enforced within the UK. Stauff UK welcomes this and believes it will help to further assist us in our goal to achieve net zero. CBAM even covers the machines that companies use to manufacture products, which becomes part of the carbon taxation on the products in question. So, if a company requires a lot of energy to make parts it will be taxed higher in line with the CBAM regulations. With this in mind, we are planning to secure ISO-50,001 later this year. This standard focuses on energy optimisation, which is something we are 100% committed to adhering to. Electric bending machines As far back as 2010 we began to implement all electric bending machines. Even though we’re a hydraulics company we don’t use any hydraulic CNC bending equipment any more within our Sheffield facility. We sourced the electric bending machines from a local partner and have them now installed at 8 facilities within the global group. By using these bending machines, our energy consumption has been dramatically reduced. These machines are also very quiet and clean, with no dirty oil or filtration required. Moving away from plastic materials Even some of Stauff UK’s protective packaging and protective capping for tubes and hose assemblies etc. are now made from recycled materials. We have even been considering the use of compostable packaging. Stauff UK is of course driving this initiative to be more sustainable, but a direct benefit to us as a company will be lower taxation through phasing out the use of plastic materials. We also keep an eye on what our suppliers are doing and what the market in general is doing. Some of our suppliers are planning to use more recycled materials when manufacturing products. So, we offer our assistance wherever we can to help them expedite these goals. Also, by utilising their recycled materials within our supply chain we see this as a win-win because it helps us to increase our level of sustainability through procurement as well. LED lighting We use LED lighting within our main warehouse and all offices, and are now looking to install LEDs within the main corridors leading to the office areas. Stauff UK has also just begun a cycle to work scheme through which we will support and encourage staff wherever possible to cycle in and out of our Sheffield facility. Where cycling to work isn’t considered to be a viable option, we encourage car sharing. Ethically sourced stationary Stauff UK now relies on ethical suppliers of stationary equipment. We use paper tape rather than non-recyclable tape and even use biodegradable work gloves. Additionally, timers with sensors have been fitted to electrical goods such as the TVs in the canteens so that they turn off rather than go into standby mode when the canteens are closed or when nobody is in them. As a company, we recycle substantially. For example, we work with specialist coffee cup recycling companies and printer and toner cartridge recycling companies. Even our wood scrap is responsibly delt with and other materials are on our radar. Passion and commitment Stauff UK does not approach sustainability as a tick-box exercise. We are passionate about this topic and the requirements for sustainable business practices and business partners. Moreover, we want to be an even more attractive employer for future generations who are seeking a career in engineering and manufacturing. Stauff Uk is here for the long term and wants to ensure the environment we all share and rely on is protected for the future.
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