Tauranga firms get inside sustainability success

Tauranga firms get inside sustainability success.

Tauranga business leaders have the opportunity to “get under the hood” of one of the region’s most sustainable and eco-friendly head quarters in coming days.

Dairy chemical and animal health company FIL is opening its doors to a group of Bay of Plenty business people to show what can be done to achieve sustainability and excellence in the environmentally challenging business of chemical processing and packaging.

On March 18 business leaders will have the opportunity to view the many energy saving features FIL has incorporated into its head office and plant at Mount Maunganui.

A particular focus will be FIL’s rainwater tank system for harvesting up to 60,000litres of rain off the company roof.

This supplies all processes that do not require potable (drinkable) water and has reduced FIL’s municipal water take by 90%.

The Bay of Plenty’s rain fall patterns often feature intense rainfall events, and such systems not only save on water bills, but also ease pressure on municipal stormwater systems, critical in maritime cities like Tauranga where overflow inevitably ends up in the harbour.

Business people will also have the opportunity to gain a first hand insight to FIL’s processes delivering high quality products in an environmentally sustainable fashion.

Opened two years ago, FIL’s head office and plant underscores the company’s philosophy on sustainability. It is concrete and glass, proof the company is “walking the talk” on sustainable production.

It was a point not lost on judges in 2008’s Regional Sustainable Business Awards, where FIL collected the Supreme prize for its investment in the building and the processes within it.

FIL director and part owner Arthur Jordan says FIL decided some years ago to set benchmarks in sustainability from production to farm gate. It came as farmers themselves began to face greater pressure on how they managed resources like soil and water, dealing with run off and effluent issues.

“It was only reasonable then that companies supplying them further up the chain should endeavour to do the same if the agricultural industry is to have any overall vision of being truly sustainable.”

The head office building and plant represents the first stage in taking that philosophy right through to the farm gate.

As well as the rainfall system, heat recovery technology includes a solar heating system and a boiler burning waste car oil for heating processed products.

Within the office complex a central naturally lit atrium helps control heat fluctuations during the day, and natural lighting comes via especially installed light lenses, accentuated by light coloured paint work. Design ideas from FIL staff who had major input to the building’s design include space for bicycle parking and showers for cycling staff.

Guests visiting the plant will have the opportunity to closely examine designs and processes that could be incorporated into their own businesses, and question FIL staff about aspects of the sustainable philosophy and practice.

Recently FIL has taken its sustainable philosophy a step further to the farm gate. Farmers are now able to return 100L and 200L drums for recovery and re-use, or recycling if the drums are not in good condition. This is an initiative with AgPac and Ecolab that is a first for dairy hygiene firms.

“We have our roots firmly here in Tauranga, and welcome the opportunity to share with other companies the ideas that have been put into practice – sustainability is something more of our customers are expecting, and we are happy to share our ideas on how to achieve that,” says Arthur Jordan.

ENDS

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