Member Article

Midlands manufacturer invests to reduce carbon footprint

A forward-thinking, Midlands-based manufacturer is investing a six-figure sum to make a major reduction in its carbon footprint – and has received grant funding to support its efforts.

Sarginsons Industries Ltd, which is based in Torrington Avenue in Coventry, is buying a new de-coring machine at a cost in excess of £200,000.

The machine will help the company, which is a specialist in lightweight castings, reduce its carbon emissions by 524.9 tonnes per year. The machine is used to remove the internal sand cores that are manufactured, and cast over, to create the hollow section lightweight chassis components.

It is the latest in a series of investments made by Sarginsons to make it more environmentally friendly and has been supported by a £50,000 grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme assisted by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP).

The Green Business Programme is partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is being delivered by Coventry City Council. Anthony Evans, managing director of Sarginsons, said: “We are still forging ahead with our plans to grow and invest in the future.

“A major part of those plans is reducing our carbon footprint and is something we have been doing over a number of years now with a series of investments. We have a key strategic plan to establish Sarginsons as a carbon neutral business through a net zero carbon footprint in the coming years.

“We are delighted to be able to invest in a new de-coring machine, which will reduce our carbon emissions by a further 524.9 tonnes per year, and we are extremely grateful for the support from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme.”

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs and regeneration at Coventry City Council, said: “I’m really pleased that we could support Sarginsons to move to more energy efficiency production. It makes environmental sense and business sense – so it’s a winner all around.

“Our Green Business Programme can provide grant funding to local businesses who want to reduce their carbon footprint and lower their energy bills and it’s great to see a Coventry based manufacturing business leading the way.”

It comes hot off the heels of a previous investment by Sarginsons, which saw the company awarded a grant of £50,000 in June 2019 through the ERDF Business Support/Investment Fund programme.

That was part of an overall investment of £260,000 and was to assist with the purchase of holding furnaces, hydraulic power pack and overhead crane, which is part of the expansion of the company’s foundry.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .