Terberg drive sustainability improvements

In October 2023, the hard work was worth it, with approval gained. Terberg’s main focus was repurposing suitable cardboard waste as void-fill packaging, and a cardboard shredder was purchased. “The results have been quite astonishing,” says Mick Bullock, Parts & Quality Manager at Terberg Warrington.

“Almost 5.5 tonnes of cardboard waste have been repurposed in the last 12 months, we do not use polystyrene packaging pellets in the packing process at all, and we have reduced bubble wrap consumption by 400kg.”

The CO2 emissions associated with waste collection and packaging delivery have been halved, while the initiative has resulted in a 70% saving on bubble wrap and a 100% saving on polystyrene. In addition to sustainability improvements, these changes have delivered a substantial financial saving. 

A culture of collaboration and open discussion has led to further improvements, including correctly disposing of items that fall under the scope of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and migrating to cordless tools. “The cost to charge a cordless battery is minuscule compared to running a compressor all day,” says Bullock.

Terberg has also introduced reusable tote boxes to supply spare parts to the workshop. Historically, they had been packed into a cardboard box that was usually disposed of, and this simple but effective idea has delivered further cost savings and reduced cardboard waste.

“Gaining ISO 14001 accreditation was a great achievement that was only possible with the help of all staff,” says Bullock. “Of course, the journey did not stop there. In fact, it was just the beginning, and by following the key principles, we strive to continually improve year on year.”