Upholding the principles of sustainability throughout every part of our business is a fundamental part of all we do. This core value coupled with our innovative spirit drives our relentless pursuit of environmental excellence.
We are extremely proud of our heritage and the locality in which we operate, so we strive to maintain the natural beauty of the local environment at all times, through initiatives such as the All Ireland Pollinator Programme and numerous proactive biodiversity preservation and enhancement projects.
Our commitment to sustainability is intrinsically linked to the products we produce and how we manufacture them. All of the products are highly engineered to maximize their sustainable and energy saving properties. We have an active environmental management system (EMS) which provides guidance and oversight which governs the operations within each facility and the potential impact of these operations on the environment. The adoption of sustainability driven principles throughout the company in relation to lean manufacturing, waste reduction, responsible sourcing, recycling and energy usage, ensures we continue to improve every stage of production, from cradle to gate, to minimise the environmental impact of our work.
Our environmental sustainability programme reaches every area of the business and every individual who works here, from our attention to the small details in each work station, to our most notable breakthrough innovations. Here are just a few of the highlights:
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SIMS by Mannok, the Super Insulated Masonry Solution, is a sustainable construction solution which could revolutionise the way houses are built in Ireland. Using our lite thermal blocks, SIMS incorporates European best practice construction methodology to ensure homes are built to a far superior standard of energy performance.
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Our unique mixed-load solution combines heavy and light products in one single delivery, maximising the trailer capacity and significantly reducing the volume of lorries on the road. As well as being highly convenient for customers, this has reduced the associated carbon emissions by almost 50%.
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We were one of the first companies in Ireland to develop third party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for our products. The first certification was presented by the Irish Green Building Council in 2018, and the most recent in early 2020 for our precast hollowcore flooring, making it the first structural precast concrete product to gain EPD certification in Ireland. We now have a comprehensive suite of EPDs, with published certificates for our aircrete blocks, rooftiles, PIR and EPS insulation and Precast concrete products.
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Our PIR insulation products are produced using a Zero ODP product (Ozone depletion), as blowing agent which is the best available technology for the process
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Our aircrete thermal blocks are made from up to 80% recycled materials
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By-products from the internal Sand processing facility are used as a raw material in the manufacturing of our aircrete blocks
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Recycled steam from the autoclave process in the manufacturing of our aircrete blocks is heat-recovered and the cooled water used within the plant, reducing waste and energy usage
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Research is underway to trail using the waste from the production of our aircrete blocks as a granular oil absorbent material
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We have made significant investmentin our cement production facility in the use of Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) as an alternative to coal fuel sources, which has massively reduced its carbon emissions while providing an alternative to landfill waste. The market-leading CEM II cement range incorporates unburnt limestone and flyash, reducing the amount of processed clinker required, which means it now produces a high quality range of cements which meet eco-building requirements.
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Only FSC/PEFC accredited paper suppliers are used throughout our administration divisions thereby guaranteeing Chain of Custody from forest to printer and ensuring paper fibre is sourced from managed and sustainable forests worldwide.