Establishing a commitment across the supply chain to provide the correct products with the correct eco certifications is only one side of the operation. Assessing need and scale on an individual basis is the other. There is unfortunately no ‘one fits all’ solution and many factors should be taken into account when trying to establish ‘green credentials.’” MERTON Michael Maybury is marketing and IT director at Merton Group and also had some interesting views: “Since 1978 we Merton Group UK Ltd have used our commitment to sustainability and greener solutions as a major driving force for innovation. We believe that it should be the cornerstone for any manufacturer. Why? Because making something successfully and economically, that can do a job better whilst improving its environmental impact, not only makes the customer very happy and ticks lots of boxes, it has also made us happy too. Our ISO 14001 environmental accreditation is helpful with tenders and new contracts, and the pressure on everyone to be ‘greener’ has inevitably grown over the years, but, it is a focus on our commitment to “cleaning and hygiene products that don’t cost the earth” that has continued to drive our success and make us feel good about what we do. “Starting with recycled paper products all those years ago our focus on greener innovations has grown. The key to our approach has been reducing impact without inflating costs, this isn’t easy and quite often, ideas that improve impact have delivered negative effects on costs. This used to be part of the course with greener solutions but like most manufacturers we have strived to overcome what used to be the norm of inflated costs for greener products so they are no longer overlooked and can actually make a difference. “Starting with an idea that will improve results or solve a problem is not always easy either, especially in an industry as old as ours. Technological advances are delivering interesting opportunities in the way we manufacturer paper products, and ensuring ethical sustainability throughout the chain of custody is much easier than it used to be. Plus, how we package, store and deliver products is always benefitting from new technologies which all helps reduce carbon footprints, but when it comes to true innovation it may be some time before something market changing comes along. Some of the most exciting results and biggest leaps forward in recent years have been made in cleaning chemical products. These innovations are now changing the way industrial products are being used in the market place. “Chemical super concentrates have the potential to create a dramatic effect on the cleaning industries environmental impact and it is very easy to see why. The previous costly and cumbersome chemical dispenser systems have been replaced with smart bottles, and their ease of use coupled with achievable savings and comprehensive product ranges means they are extremely hard to ignore. We have supported some of the largest contract cleaning companies and FMC’s for many years and the introduction of super concentrates has made significant improvements to their green credentials as well as their profit margins. “When it comes to ticking boxes and accreditation these innovations are making a real difference. To help understand the difference we always compare innovations to traditional products. With our super concentrates, to deliver the same amount of active product, you need 84 per cent less product (averagely across the range) when compared to 5 litre alternatives, and that means incredible improvements like 40 per cent plus reductions in packaging waste, 45 per cent plus reductions in space required and 65 per cent plus reductions in weight (average figures across the range). In some instances, (Multipurpose Cleaner for example) a single bottle of Ecodosing Super Concentrate would replace 15 bottles of product normally used undiluted from 5 litre containers which means those environmental improvements are quite remarkable; 90 per cent plus reductions in waste, 97 per cent plus reductions in storage space and 98 per cent plus in weight! “We are very proud of our approach to greener solutions and sustainability and the results we have seen over the years is why it continues to and will always drive us. For Merton Group it is less about the need to comply but more about the desire to improve.” 22 SEPTEMBER 2016 CLEANING HYGIENE TODAY Starting with an idea that will improve results or solve a problem is not always easy either, especially in an industry as old as ours.” FEATURE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Cleaning Hygiene Today September 2016
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