Glass Manufacturer Named as One of UK's Top 50 Best Green Companies

Saint-Gobain Glass' UK plant has won The Sunday Times national award for training and motivation of staff on environmental issues and has also been named as one of UK's greenest companies in The Sunday Times' 50 Best Green Companies list published at the weekend (Sunday 18th May).

The Yorkshire based manufacturer received the national award for its training and motivational programme beating off competition from some of the UK's largest companies.

It was also ranked 8th in The Sunday Times' Best Green Companies list following a comprehensive evaluation of its approach to environmental management, the knowledge of its employees and its environmental performance.

Employing 196 people, Saint-Gobain Glass' Eggborough plant boasts a particularly strong performance in the areas of waste reduction, the minimisation of C02 emissions and use of recycled glass in the manufacturing process, an area in which it leads the glass industry.

The company uses five times more recycled glass in its manufacturing than any of its competitors. Every ton of recycled glass heated in the furnaces saves 1.2 tons of raw material being quarried. The firm uses 3,000 tonnes of waste glass every month. Research conducted by The Sunday Times in conjunction with environmental consultants, Bureau Veritas and market research group, Munro Global, also found that employees say the environment is an everyday consideration, giving a 90 per cent green score and that the environment has a bearing on their job (89 per cent). Staff also helped reduce waste from 6,370 tonnes in 2001 to 1,645 tonnes in 2006.

Other key achievements include a reduction of waste sent to landfill of 75% in just six years, a 12 per cent increase in the amount of waste recycled in the last 12 months alone and the lowest C02 emissions of any flat glass plant in Europe.

In addition, Saint-Gobain Glass in Eggborough makes 28 per cent of its product from recycled cullet (glass) - more than any other glass producer.

Saint Gobain Glass' managing director Alan McLenaghan said: ‘To be ranked 8th in The Sunday Times' Best Green Companies list is a tremendous achievement and demonstrates the commitment of every one of our employees to minimising our impact on the environment. It also proves that, contrary to popular belief, manufacturing is no longer a dirty polluting industry and that manufacturers can operate with a minimal impact on the environment.’

Saint-Gobain Glass is also helping to make sustainable construction a reality via the development of products such as 'Planitherm total' - a new low E glass which reduces heat loss in buildings and leads the market with its performance.

The company is part of Saint-Gobain Group: one of the world's top 100 industrial companies and a leader in the design, production and distribution of materials for the construction industry. With a commitment to innovation, Saint-Gobain Group invests more than £257-million a year in R&D.

Web: http://www.saint-gobain.co.uk

Caption: Alan McLenaghan, managing director of Saint-Gobain Glass, is pictured in front of some of the 3,000 tonnes of waste glass that is recycled by the company every month.