MORE than 100 companies have signed up to a new �2.1million programme which aims to help businesses in the East of England to use resources more efficiently - and boost their profits as a result.

MORE than 100 companies have signed up to a new �2.1million programme which aims to help businesses in the East of England to use resources more efficiently - and boost their profits as a result.

Resource Efficiency East helps businesses to identify opportunities to become more efficient, providing them with a review to find out the best way to cut costs through reducing the use of water, energy and materials.

The campaign also includes a website, www.resourceefficiencyeast.co.uk, which features businesses in the eastern region which have already benefitted significantly from increased resource efficiency by reducing bottom line costs, becoming more competitive and winning more business.

Local businesses profiled include Adnams of Southwold, 2Cs from Martlesham Heath, near Ipswich, and RDC from Witham.

Resource Efficiency East is targeting savings of more than �12 million through resource efficiency, while significantly reducing CO2 emissions, energy and water usage and diverting waste from landfill.

Simon Chiva, Resource Efficiency East manager, comments: “The new fund has been set up to increase the productivity and competitiveness of regional small and medium sized businesses by assisting them to deliver measurable improvements to their resource efficiency, whilst also helping to reduce the impact of climate change on the region's economy.”

An example of the support Resource Efficiency East is offering regional companies (firms with fewer than 250 staff and a turnover of under 50million euros) is a two-day resource efficiency support package.

The review provides professional advice on all aspects of resource efficiency and includes an extensive on-site visit from a resource efficiency consultant, a written report, a bespoke action plan on how to make savings, followed by help with how best to put the plan into action.

Resource Efficiency East is a specialist delivery agent under Improving Your Resource Efficiency, a product in the Solutions For Business Portfolio, a range of support services designed to identify practical cost-effective actions that businesses can take in order to be more resource efficient.

IYRE also includes other resource efficiency support, such as financial assistance to SMEs who can apply for interest-free loans of between �3,000 and �400,000 to support energy efficient investments. Energy savings usually cover the cost of the loan, meaning businesses can save money while benefitting from brand new equipment, increased efficiency and reduced running costs, all at no expense to them.

Businesses wishing to find out more about the new programme should call Resource Efficiency East on 01733 294524 or visit www.resourceefficiencyeast.co.uk.

Adnams, Southwold

ADNAMS is still probably still best known as a brewer of fine beers but its products and services also extend to pubs, wines, award-winning hotels and stylish gifts and kitchenware.

The company, which recently added three more riverside pubs to its pub portfolio, has three hotels while its Cellar and Kitchen Stores offer a range of quality wines together with kitchen utensils and gifts.

Adnams calculates that it is saving �50,000 a year on energy costs in its brewery having reduced its gas consumption there by around 30%. In its distribution centre, Adnams has cut its gas bill by 56% a year, its electricity bill by 67%, and refrigeration costs by �56,000 a year, and mains water bills are now minimal.

In the brewery, new systems recapture steam to heat the next brew. While the brewing industry norm is to consume five to six litres of water to make each litre of beer, Adnams use three litres of water.

The Adnams distribution centre, built with locally sourced lime hemp blocks, ensures a constant temperature. The living roof collects rainwater which is used for everything from toilet flushing

to washing vehicles.

Adnams takes its corporate responsibility very seriously, but its drive to protect the environment in every area of business has reaped considerable commercial benefits.

Costs are reduced, particularly energy bills, and the Adnams brand has been strengthened bringing new orders and sales.

2Cs, Martlesham Heath

2Cs is a multi-discipline design, marketing and communications company with offices in Martlesham Heath, near Ipswich, Newmarket and London, and has four key divisions.

2Cs Communications is made up of marketing and communication specialists, designers and web developers.

2Cs clients are found across all commercial and public sectors including property, financial, construction, energy, the equine field, media, not-for-profit, “green” and environmental companies, medical, energy and technology.

Through a variety of programmes 2Cs anticipates making savings of between �25,000 and �35,000 a year by reducing travel and materials use, cutting energy consumption, increasing reuse and recycling, and reducing property costs.

2Cs have turned its London office into a “virtual” office, to reduce costs in rental and in travel. Staff are encouraged to bike to work through a tax-free bicycle purchase scheme, and 2Cs has embarked on gaining ISO14001 accreditation to reduce cost and meet the expectations of clients such as Government departments and large organisations.

Managing director Bob Woolliams said: “We're focused on maximising resource efficiency. It's important for our customers to know that we're environmentally conscious. Financially it's one of the key factors that will differentiate between businesses which will survive and thrive, and businesses which fail, or fail to reach their full potential.”

RDC, Witham

RDC specialise in refurbishing, recycling, and the resale of computers and information technology equipment.

It takes in everything from desktop screens and printers to laptops, mainframes and components but sends nothing to landfill, having a100% recovery rate for all the equipment it accepts - a UK first.

Customers' equipment is collected from large companies such as BT as well as from organisations such as the Environment Agency with the refurbished and recycled equipment being old in the UK and abroad.

RDC, which was recently presented with a Queen's Award for Sustainable Development, has saved at least �150,000 a year by reducing waste in its business, with help from Envirowise, the Government-funded programme offering practical environmental advice for businesses.

A waste review helped the company increase the weight of IT recycled material from 52% to 100% while, as part of its ISO14001 Environmental Management Improvement programme, RDC's recycling rate for non-IT waste rose from 27% by weight to 95%, saving �50,000 a year and generating income.

Cardboard used to wrap incoming materials is re-used to package outgoing IT equipment. Instead of renting a skip and paying for waste cardboard to be taken away, RDC now bales and sells cardboard earning around �10,000 a year.

Another baler compresses plastic film wrap which is sold in 350 kilo bales for �100. Components that

cannot be refurbished or recycled are shredded and sold for scrap.

RDC sustainability manager Gary Griffiths said: “Green business is good business. Everything we do is driven by cost savings as well as by environmental considerations. We have proved you can run a business based on both.”