Since 2004 Palace Chemicals has operated a BSI accredited ISO 14001 approved Environmental Management System as part of an “objectives for improvement programme”. TSJ explains.
Being a manufacturer of building and construction products comes with some major sustainability issues surrounding the impact on the environment; what with the emissions they create, or the process energy consumed during production.
Since 2004 Palace Chemicals has operated a BSI accredited ISO 14001 approved Environmental Management System, which as part of its’ year on year “objectives for improvement programme” has always included “sustainable product & process development” within our core values.
Improving the sustainability of our product offering does not depend entirely on how we use the materials available to us within our products, but in many other ways sustainability can be enhanced by looking at how we handle these materials as part of our manufacturing processes.
Palace Chemicals have continued to invest in processing systems, seeking to convert wherever possible, all bagged additives over to bulk delivery and transfer systems. Recent upgrades to the plant have seen the removal of over 80,000 empty composite paper sacks from our waste stream. All done by installing new storage and transfer equipment, which allows an ever increasing inventory of raw material feedstock to be handled through our bulk delivery, storage and transfer systems. So, recognising the need to ensure our activities operate within and above this objective is a key target to minimising the adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
This has benefits not only in reducing the volume of waste we require removing from site, but also reduces the frequency and volume of manual handling expected from process operators. Such that the majority of our powder blended products now receive over 97% of their raw material input via a fully automated bulk transfer system.
Another objective of our sustainability programme is to replace or minimise the use of materials derived from energy intensive processes or valuable natural resources by substituting them with alternative materials which can give the same outcome and performance standard when used within some of our products.
We are continually searching for materials that originate from lower energy production sources or are classed as ‘process by-products’, which are of no use to the primary producer, but are of a standard and consistency that we are able to incorporate them within our own manufacturing processes and thereby offer an alternative route to disposal at source, which then avoids any adverse environmental impact. And by investing in extensive bulk storage and handling facilities for highly efficient raw materials, we have been able to minimise and eliminate the need for single-use outer packaging which often cannot be recycled.
The Palace Extra-Lite range of adhesives is a good example of new product technology that was recently shortlisted for an Environmental award at the TTA Awards in September. Predominantly derived from sustainable resources, the range is available as Fast & Slow set versions in both Grey & White. This product category incorporates over 40% sustainable raw materials taken from low carbon processes, but still provides adhesives at the high end of the EN performance classification.
They also offer an important logistical benefit by the fact that the same area of tiling can be fixed, but with just 50% of adhesive weight needed to be transported & mixed, allowing the professional Tiler or DIYer to now carry just over half the weight of adhesive required to complete a job, but still achieve the same planned coverage: Less mixing = more fixing!
Palace Chemicals have long demonstrated our commitment to sustainable processing & product development and will continue to direct investment towards improving our sustainable manufacturing capability and reducing the impact we have on the wider environment around us.
Palace Chemicals is the UK’s largest independent manufacturer of tile adhesives, grouts, building chemicals, wood treatments and decorating sundries.
To find out more, visit: www.palacechemicals.co.uk
