Kewell Converters Ltd (KCL) are very serious about environmental issues and long term sustainability for all. To this end we are constantly and pro-actively looking for mutual benefits to minimise our impact on the environment - be it power/electricity (e.g. factory/machine/production efficiency) or minimise waste generation by way of designing products or manufacturing techniques to maximise yields and minimise scrap offcut/processing. Raw materials are also a big factor and the majority of our foam materials to work off and convert from are produced in the UK just 20 miles away in Croydon/UK by Zotefoams UK. Others may be sourced from certified (ISO 9001/ISO 14001) and qualified suppliers who are typically global suppliers with credentials to match and European based thus adhering to standards and codes of conduct, delivered economically on streamline trucks in bulk/full pallets.
We have weekly collections for general mixed recyclable waste and in addition compact/bail and return large volumes of foam waste scrap materials to be recycled back into reconstituted foam blocks/products (see http://www.schmitzfoam.com/en/) thus a neat closed loop system.
A limited amount of waste is handled by Biffa for incineration and albeit not ideal, it should be noted plastics have a very high calorific value (35 MJ/kg) which is higher than that of coal. Without general plastics, including (packaging) foams, most domestic waste could not be incinerated. Energy gained from the incineration of waste can be used in form of heat or transformed into electricity.
We recently installed MCBD (movement control and dimmable) lighting system through the factory/warehouse and office saving both power and reducing CO2 emissions long into the future. Cavity wall insulation has also been applied and both new roof lights/cladding systems introduced to offer a higher thermal insulation as well as destratification fans in the factory to recirculate heat saving gas. Every little bit helps and attention to details is everything. As of 2015, a green renewable energy supply by means of a 50kWp PV Solar Panel will be installed and commissioned. This exciting project and investment of approx. £75k should produce up to 20% of KCL power requirements to feed the manufacturing plant and offices in general from 200 panels (European made & tier 1) onsite. Carbon Dioxide (Co2) emission reduction/saving should be in the region of 26 tonnes annually whilst generating 120 kWh/m² annually with a peak of 250kWp Peak Power and Panel Power of 250 Watts.
