Two members of Goonvean Group’s Manufactured segment, Dura-ID and RH Fibreboard Containers, have embarked on a joint effort to revolutionise sustainability within the packaging industry.
From processes within their offices and factories to the products they manufacture, each business has independently implemented sustainable practices across their operations. Today, working towards Goonvean Group’s shared vision for sustainability, Dura-ID and RH Fibreboard are committed to an exciting joint venture to create and implement a collective sustainability plan.
More sustainability products
Much of the partnership developed between Dura-ID and RH has been centred on sharing their business goals, and essentially offering their customers packaging and labels from the same source. This has been achieved through marketing, networking, and regular meetings between the two companies to discuss the different sectors and customers they supply.
Each business has individual sustainability goals – but both will be changing the way they supply and manufacture their products.
1. Corrugated cardboard packaging
Every product manufactured at RH Fibreboard’s Bristol and Wellington facilities is 100% recyclable, biodegradable, and suitable for composting. Around 85% of everything RH produce is made from recycled materials. Any kraft paper used in production carries FSC certification, ensuring it is sourced from sustainably managed forests.
The goal is to produce custom-made cardboard packaging designs that minimise waste and the use of materials that are not as sustainable as cardboard (e.g. tape, plastic binding, etc.). The glue and starch RH Fibreboard use for production are both environmentally friendly, and alternative products that potentially offer a lower carbon footprint (e.g. sugar cane waste) are being sought.
2. Labels, tags, and ID products
Over the last two years, Dura-ID has been increasing the amount of post-consumer waste that is recycled back into its identification products. Dura-ID’s high tack and adhesive products now contain up to 30% recycled materials.
Studies are being conducted into whether the wristbands made at Dura-ID’s Paignton factory can be made fully biodegradable. Currently, they offer a range of 100% recyclable wristbands made from FSC certified mono-materials. Their Enviro range of labels and tags, supplied from Barnsley, Paignton, and Durham, include biodegradable material types.
3. Printing inks
Dura-ID and RH Fibreboard both offer bespoke printing to their customers, for branding, safety information, and legal and regulatory information. Therefore, the ink they use for printing must be durable and long-lasting.
The ink industry is working on its own environmental impact, proactively introducing new, recycled products where possible. The flexo inks used on RH Fibreboard’s corrugated products are water-based and safe to compost.
Ink pigment and colour often contain a varnish and historically, some of this pigment has been mined from the ground. In the last few years, Dura-ID and RH Fibreboard have committed to an ink supplier that guarantees at least 25% of the varnish in its inks is made from cornstarch, a renewable material.
Around 75% of the inks used in label making are water-based. For durability, many of these inks contain a UV varnish to stop degradation. The UV varnishes used by Dura-ID and RH are zero waste.
More sustainable factory processes
Dura-ID and RH Fibreboard’s sustainability plan also extends to the processes by which they manufacture and distribute their products in their factories.
1. Ink storage and usage
Dura and RH’s production facilities have ink mixing systems, allowing accurate colour matching and more control over the amount of ink produced. Without these ‘ink kitchens’, ink would be purchased in buckets per pantone colour, and there would be far more ink wastage. Surplus ink can be stored and reused, but it has a shelf life. Without these facilities, Dura and RH would be receiving ink deliveries up to a few times a week.
The ink kitchens are formulated from base colours and varnishes delivered in much larger canisters a lot less frequently, which cuts down on transportation. Being able to mix inks on site means both companies can cut down on ink waste, and reduce the number of deliveries they receive – reducing their carbon footprint.
2. Energy use
RH Fibreboard have installed solar panels and movement sensitive LED lighting to some of their facilities. Dura-ID have also been looking into the efficiency of their machinery and equipment, and started the process of installing new, energy-efficient LED lighting in their factories.
Energy usage across both companies is also being looked at. Alongside other members of the Goonvean Group, both Dura-ID and RH Fibreboard have fully REGO certified energy supply contracts from October 2024. Policies have also been developed in both businesses to promote electric vehicle use, and upgrade company vehicles to fully electric and hybrid models.
To support this, two RH Fibreboard factories and three Dura facilities have installed electric charging points for employees, customers, and suppliers to use. Dura-ID have also implemented a cycle to work scheme.
Alongside all this, there are energy saving projects in place across all multiple facilities. The new waste system at RH Fibreboard uses a conveyor belt system instead of a vacuum to remove waste from production, which has saved around 75% of energy. At Dura, a large energy-saving and monitoring project is currently underway, and voltage on some of the production machines is being regulated.
3. Proactive sustainability
Outside of the work being done on in-house processes to improve sustainability, a large part of the ongoing effort is centred on encouragement. Dura-ID now ask their customers to return the core centres of all labels after they’ve been used, so they can be recycled. Dura have also started placing a green sticker on the outside of boxes to let their customers know the stock materials are recyclable.
At RH Fibreboard, stock overruns are donated to staff and customers so nothing goes to waste. Print set up sheets are used as box layer pads and product dividers on pallets to aid stability and further reduce waste. RH have also been educating local school children on the importance of sustainability with free tree planting projects run in their classrooms.
As packaging suppliers, analysing the sustainability of their own despatch departments is of the utmost importance to Dura and RH. Today, the focus is very much on using cardboard and paper-based materials where possible. RH utilise paper tape and reuse the packaging from products they receive. Dura adopt the same practice, and have completely eliminated bubble wrap from their operations. It has been replaced with paper for wrapping and corrugated paper for packing.
Other business-led sustainability ventures include homeworking where possible, utilising the power of online meetings instead of unnecessary onsite meetings that produce carbon emissions. This is particularly important because of RH and Dura’s broad, geographic spread. As a Group, we encourage online supplier and customer meetings where possible. Where onsite meetings are required, clear and necessary objectives are set for these meetings.
An ongoing journey towards a greener future
Goonvean Group are proud to represent sustainability-conscious companies like Dura-ID and RH Fibreboard, doing their bit to adapt and change for the better. Their plan over the coming months and years is to collaborate on sustainability even more, with regular meetings to ensure their business’s projects and goals are aligned.
