Sustainability
Decotek Automotive is committed to tangible and measurable sustainability initiatives. We have created a business model that delivers world class quality while reducing our environmental footprint and respecting and enhancing the environment and our community.
We have made a commitment to environmental responsibility by the implementation of a robust environmental management system in our production processes which is certified to ISO 14001 environmental management standards. We rigorously manage our manufacturing resources to improve our energy efficiency, minimise and segregate waste, and maintain compliance with all emissions as defined in our Industrial Emissions License.
Energy and Water
We constantly strive to ensure efficiency in our energy usage while developing optimal methods for its source and application across our site.
In 2022 we will implement a company-wide program to measure and monitor our current energy usage, building a robust metering system in the process. This will offer valuable insights about the company’s electricity, gas and water usage, which will inform and improve efficiencies across the organisation.
It will also identify channels where a more effective energy alternative may be required, such as electrical heat pumps and solar technology, which would optimise our energy output and help reduce unnecessary waste.
Our water usage on site is carefully mapped out to manage and reduce unnecessary waste and ensure maximum efficiency.
We’re really proud of the fact that the electricity used at Decotek is from 100% renewable sources.
We also aim to reduce our gas by transitioning from LPG to electricity for our internal transport. In the meantime we offset our carbon through an independent third party organisation – just one way in which we play our part.
Waste Products
We apply the same principles to product management by optimising production channels and ensuring all aluminium waste is recycled. Our aspiration is to ensure that all aluminium recycling follows a circular economic system, looping product waste back to the beginning of the cycle for re-use, reducing our net waste to virtually zero.
Since 2020 we have invested in a state-of-the-art air abatement system, designed to safely capture TOCs and solvents from the atmosphere.
Like many manufacturing companies, we use a great deal of heat in our processes. We go to great lengths to minimise heat waste by recovering the excess energy and converting it into alternative streams or using in other manufacturing procedures.
Ecological Impact
At Decotek we have a few really unique initiatives to help protect and improve our ecological environment.
There are around 6,000 native trees on the Decotek site in Co. Westmeath, which sequester 126 tonnes of carbon per annum.
The Yellow River – a tributary of the River Boyne – is a local brown trout spawning river that runs past our grounds. We are proud to say that the waste water from our manufacturing process is clean and safe enough to be channelled into this river, ensuring an optimal breeding ground for wildlife.
We also work with local beekeepers to manage a number of beehives on site. Honeybees are crucial for the pollination of many of our native plants and trees – we harvest a minimal amount of honey, leaving the majority of it to the bees as food for the winter months.
Partnership with Circuleire
As one of the founding members of Circuleire – and the only automotive partner – we emphasise the importance of the need for a circular economy across all industries. One company’s waste product is another’s raw ingredient – we want to see a true closed loop and genuine sustainability in manufacturing, for all industries.
The key learnings from Decotek’s – and other companies’ – efforts can inform and influence how other sectors can improve the way they address many environmental and energy challenges.
Together, we can develop synergies to complement one another and find ways to provide efficiencies at a local and national level.
Sustainable Design
Our design process seeks to minimise material waste through process optimisation, smart design and minimising product weight. We also conduct a rigorous life cycle analysis to assess the environmental impact of the finished product from extraction of materials to end of life.
Our People, Suppliers and Customers
All our employees are local, and almost all our vendors are within a 40km radius. We believe in a strong local economy, and are committed to helping grow and sustain it.
We partner with our customers in a shared ethos of measuring real progress in sustainability. Our metrics and clearly defined goals and targets are shared at regular meetings, allowing a shared vision.
We believe in the circular economy and that each company must play their part and assume responsibility for the management of waste and improving energy efficiencies.
While many of the actions above help the environment, we believe it goes beyond that – our emphasis is on establishing an energy management system that can inspire other organisations around the globe to consider their outputs. As a collective, our actions can have an impact not only within our businesses and local communities, but at a global level.
Certifications & Accreditations
Decotek have been accredited with certification in the following standards:
Quality System
Energy Management