Corby-based company See Limited has invested £700,000 into its distribution arm, Performance Panels, to drastically improve its environmental footprint while also revolutionising the day-to-day working operations at its distribution facility in Halifax, West Yorkshire.
The company, named after its ethical and sustainability ambitions – Supporting Ethical Enterprise – operates as a holding company for three businesses in the built environment sector, Performance Panels, Inspired Surfaces, and Bousfields.
With a focus on taking sustainable steps forward to reduce their carbon emissions year-on-year, this significant investment through the integration of HOMAG’s STORETEQ P-500 storage system and SAWTEQ S-300 panel dividing saw means that they will now be able to store a higher volume of 5,000 high-performance decorative panels on-site. In addition it will improve efficiencies and reduce energy consumption.
The automated storage system will now organise, stock, and select different sheet sizes and materials in its facility, in what is seen as a huge boost to its distribution arm’s operational capacity.
The new system will also help Performance Panels save 280 bottles of liquid petroleum gas on forklift use alone, equating to an estimated 17,495 kgCO2e avoided per year, based on calculations from the UK Government’s website.
This equates to the same amount of carbon emissions as if you were to drive a petrol-powered car around the world’s equator – twice!
Alongside the investment into the machinery, the Performance Panels facility has also had a complete transformation to get the most out of the storage system. The original floor was dug up and relayed with a new one, new lighting was fitted together with a new CCTV system. The extraction system was also enhanced.
“As Performance Panels continued to grow, it became clear that a full evaluation of our operations was necessary to meet our environmental and sustainable ambitions,” said Robert Thompson, Group CEO at See Limited.
“The implementation of the storage system and panel dividing saw is part of our continuous investment into See Limited’s operating businesses as we continue to grow and evolve.
“In a fast-moving industry, it is crucial we stay ahead of the curve and on top of the latest technological advancements.
“While the implementation of this significant investment has transformed the working operations onsite, it has also enhanced the health and safety measures too. Automation has replaced much of the manual handling and has drastically reduced the time spent locating and retrieving stock.”
