Glidevale Protect puts its focus on sustainability

With a dedicated product range specifically developed to improve the operational energy efficiency of buildings, leading manufacturer Glidevale Protect has launched several initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of its business operations.

Glidevale Protect is at the forefront of designing and developing ‘hidden protectors’ such as specialist roofing and construction membranes and ventilation solutions that help build healthy solutions, improving a building’s overall thermal efficiency and airtightness, whilst reducing the risk of condensation. The manufacturer is working on ways to improve the sustainability and operational efficiency of its business, with key projects underway including the creation of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), progressing towards accreditation to the ISO 50001 energy management standard and putting new systems in place to track recycling levels and energy consumption across its UK based manufacturing facilities. The business is also investing in closed loop recycling of its product waste and is looking at other ways to improve the environmental footprint of its packaging. John Mellor, sustainability lead for Glidevale Protect added,

“Our current activities are being implemented from the front line with both internal and external customer drivers and we are not paying lip service or greenwashing with regards to trying to reduce our environmental impact across our factory sites. Our key stakeholders within the business engage in the monthly meetings to help push through positive changes and where necessary we are consulting with industry experts who can assist us in our sustainability roadmap.”

The company has also established a dedicated Group Sustainability Board and has gained a silver accreditation from the Supply Chain Sustainability School, which highlights its commitment to employee engagement and training.

The company’s Sustainability Board is executing a bespoke sustainability action plan, which includes initiatives such as an in-house conveyor to deliver closed loop recycling. This involves granulating waste ABS offcuts from its tile ventilation production line which are compounded, moulded, and recycled back into products by local suppliers based within five miles of the factory. The recyclate is then used within Glidevale Protect’s tile ventilation hoods. For rolled goods, the company is collaborating with a recycling partner who is collecting reflective membrane waste from Glidevale Protect’s UK factories and recycling the material. A partnership is also underway with a local company who is recycling all used pallets and waste timber from the factory site.

Glidevale Protect is working to reduce the plastic content in its product packaging. Currently 100% of the company’s plastic bag and shrink wrap suppliers are delivering products that contain a minimum of 30% recycled material and overall, 93% of total plastics used contain at least 30% recycled content. 95% of all cardboard boxes, roll cores and corrugated material used are FSC compliant or verified by the Forestry Commission, with suppliers confirming that all of the cardboard boxes used in the company’s packaging contain a minimum of 70% recycled material.

Where appropriate, Glidevale Protect has removed some plastic from its product packaging for customers who have accepted reduced packaging on their deliveries. The manufacturer is also collaborating with selected customers on a take-back service on roll cores and stabilising cradles which are used when membranes are delivered on pallets, allowing materials to be reused and put back into its production process.

The company has also installed EV chargers at both its UK factories and all new company cars will be either electric or hybrid vehicles.

Glidevale Protect is a UK producer and a subsidiary of Building Product Design Ltd, itself one of the UK’s leading forces in the development of building ventilation solutions and specialist building products. For more information, please visit their Manufacturer Profile, and Website or follow Glidevale Protect on LinkedIn.