Nikwax sources 95 percent of its energy from renewable sources, with a worldwide goal to reach 100 percent, according to the company’s corporate social responsibility report (PDF). The company also has been carbon neutral for four years, offsetting CO2 emissions through the World Land Trust.
Nikwax’s Seattle offices are 100 percent wind-powered and electricity in the UK offices and manufacturing plant is purchased via renewable energy tariffs.
Carbon reduction efforts include suspending and insulating ceilings, installing more efficient gas boilers, replacing light bulbs with more efficient versions, using renewable energy, and replacing equipment with more efficient models.
The manufacturer of aftermarket care products for apparel, footwear and gear is on target to decrease energy usage by five percent in relation to turnover in 2010. Some of its energy conservation efforts include adding insulation in buildings, double-glazing windows at the UK sites, replacing skylights in the manufacturing area to allow for more natural light, and improving the efficiency of its filling and packing equipment by implementing a pneumatic compressed air system with variable speed compressors.
The company also overhauled its computer practices to save additional energy. A few examples include shutting down PCs at night, upgrading to LCD screens, and implementing automatic power save mode for monitors when they aren’t in use.
Nikwax reduced its gas consumption for heating by 50 percent at its primary packing and filling building by installing an insulated suspending ceiling and upgrading the gas heating system.
The company is on target to reduce waste to landfill by five percent and increase plastic and cardboard recycling by 10 percent. The company also reduced the weight of its bottles from 38g to 33g, which prevented 7.3 tons of plastic from being processed in fiscal year 08/09.
Two key achievements in 2009 include being named to the “Top 60 Green Companies in the UK” and meeting ISO 14001 certification.
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