INTRODUCTION
Our business is focused on quality and excellence in all that we do. In addition to manufacturing and supplying the best products for our customers, we are committed to reducing our environmental impact on the world around us.
In recent years, there has been a global shift and growing desire for people and businesses to choose more environmentally sustainable products, use fewer toxic ingredients, ensure their supply chains are credible, and find ways to reduce their carbon footprints.
Traditionally, in the lubricant industry, additives, chemicals, and fossil-fuel energy have been essential components of the manufacturing process. However, several years ago, the Witham Group challenged itself to put the environment at the heart of all that we do.
Over the past decade, we are proud to have created a “greener” culture within our business. This means not only offering a growing range of high-performing environmental products and services, but also innovating in how we manufacture and blend our products in the first place. We constantly review the recycling and packaging options for our products, monitor and reduce energy consumption, harvest rainwater, reduce fuel emissions in our transport fleet, and invest in and support off-site nature recovery initiatives.
We also ensure that the welfare of our team, our customers, and our communities is supported by the very best that Witham Group can offer. As a trusted and reputable supplier, we make a real difference to our customers’ supply chains by offering a unique package of sustainable and social governance credentials that help other businesses achieve their sustainability goals.
INDUSTRY ACCREDITATIONS & AWARDS
Witham are proud to be accredited with both the British Standards EN ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. The IS0 14001 certification is an endorsement of the quality of our environmental practices and procedures and confirms our ongoing commitment to putting the environment at the heart of the business.
We are also proud that our product development has gained recognition with environmental awards over the past decade, and we are also members of the Green Tractor Scheme which is aimed at combating agricultural plastic waste.
One of our most prestigious accolades is to have been awarded a Royal Warrant for the products and services we supply to the Royal Estates. We are extremely proud to have held a Royal Warrant since 1991 and were delighted to have been appointed the new monarch’s Royal Coat of Arms by HM King Charles III in December 2024. The Royal Warrant means that Witham Group meets the high standards of quality and responsible business practices including the drive to reduce environmental impact.
UNIQUE CARBON-NEUTRAL BLENDING
Witham Group have developed a unique blending system for the manufacture of its lubricants that, instead of using fossil-fuel energy such as gas, now uses ultrasound and solar panels.
“Blendtek”, as the process is called, removes the need for base oils and additives to be heated at all, therefore eliminating the use of traditional gas and/or oil-fired boilers for heat energy.
Many other UK and global lubricant manufacturers are simply choosing to continue with out-of-date blending practices and often use “carbon dumps and sinks” to offset carbon use to meet their sustainability objectives. Our groundbreaking technology is a global first and can blend lubricants in a carbon-neutral way, saving huge amounts of time, energy, and carbon usage in the first place. This process is helping to radically improve the lubricant industry as a whole and offers a real chance to enhance its environmental reputation and impact. Customers of Witham Group can promote the fact that they use carbon-neutral blended lubricants as part of their own sustainability credentials.
“This exciting breakthrough is all about changing the environmental impact of lubricant manufacturing in the first place. So many environmental schemes and businesses look to offset their impact by using “carbon dumps or sinks” and other environmental and climate protection projects. We have, instead, come up with a way that prevents the creation of high energy use in the first place.”
Nigel R Bottom - Group Managing Director.
As manufacturers of a huge range of different lubricants, this new technique enables us to blend thousands of tonnes of products using energy from solar panels and a simple 13 amp plug, saving time, energy and drastically reducing our carbon footprint. To blend a simple 10-tonne batch of lubricant now takes less than 20 minutes, whereas previously the same batch would have taken 3 to 4 hours to complete. In addition, it offers extremely low energy consumption per tonne produced; for example, 10 tonnes of blended product now requires only 4 kWh of power, whereas previously, using traditional blending methods, it would have required 1962 kWh of energy.
This new innovative process has been tried and tested by the world’s largest technology providers, independently audited and reviewed, and is fully approved for use.
To evaluate the environmental savings, we have reduced carbon emissions by over 26,000 tonnes since adopting the process, heating the equivalent of over 144 homes in the UK for a year. Our gas consumption has been reduced by just over 93%, and we are now sharing these results and our story of the new ultrasound way of blending with the lubricant industry. We continue to expand the use of the Blendtek technology within our business.
We are immensely proud of this manufacturing innovation, and we believe we are the first company in the world to blend in a carbon-neutral process. We are determined to help other blenders improve their own sustainability profiles and improve the lubricant industry’s reputation with a substantial impact. For more information about Blendtek, please visit www.blendtek.solutions
LOWER IMPACT PACKAGING
We are now measuring the amount of packaging we use across the business by creating a Packaging Waste Dashboard.
̑ The plastic lubricant containers are now made from over 35% recycled materials.
̑ We offer a recycling scheme for our 200-litre metal barrels.
̑ We encourage customers to buy in bulk using our special and uniquely colour-coded bulk storage tanks for workshops and businesses, reducing the need for plastic lubricant containers. This works in conjunction with environmental requirements for lubricant storage by reducing the amount of container packaging sent in smaller orders and the need for frequent deliveries.
̑ Our cardboard delivery boxes are now made from 100% recycled material.
̑ The bulk storage tanks also help our customers store and keep lubricants in a clean and tidy manner, helping avoid spills from containers and chemical contamination.
̑ We use reconditioned pallets in the factory for storage and delivery of products.
̑ We’re switching to durable, reusable pallet wraps to break the ‘wrap and scrap’ cycle. These Palbands can be used thousands of times, offering a cleaner way to move products between depots. We are currently trialling this at our Soham depot. If successful, this change will save 468kg of single-use plastic per year. To put that into perspective, 468kg is equivalent to:
Ɍ Nearly 19,000 plastic drink bottles.
Ɍ Enough plastic to fill 35 household wheelie bins.
Ɍ Over 90,000 plastic carrier bags.
Ɍ Avoiding over 1.1 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.
EFFICIENT TRANSPORT
Monitoring the carbon our lorries emit on the road while delivering our products is an integral part of our business. We now study each lorry’s mileage and output, and we aim to reduce our carbon impact continually.
Using our Transportation Dashboard, we can measure the carbon produced, mileage, and fuel use across our delivery fleet of lorries, based on vehicle age, type, etc. We also review how many deliveries are made on each route, so we can use the best vehicles for the right journeys, with the aim of achieving maximum fuel economy and reducing wear and tear on the vehicles themselves. So, as part of our Group’s ongoing strategy to reduce our environmental impact as much as possible, and to share any genuine savings from using fuel-efficient lubricants based on our own fleet with customers, our HGV fleet has switched to fuel-efficient lubricants.
We have switched the lorries from Qualube Supremol 10W-40 to Qualube Supremol 5W-30. The technicalities are the same, but the viscometrics make the difference: less drag, less energy needed, and therefore the vehicle uses less fuel. Still fully approved by Mercedes-Benz, sold by us, and now used by us as a fuel-efficient alternative.
We also use HVO fuel, a Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, which is a renewable biofuel that can be used as a drop-in replacement for conventional diesel. It is produced by converting waste materials such as animal fats and used cooking oil into high-quality paraffinic diesel via hydrotreatment. HVO burns cleaner, produces significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants like NOx and particulate matter, and has a longer shelf life than traditional diesel.
Several of our company cars are also now electric or hybrid. We have installed charging points at each depot for our own employees and visitors, to encourage the switch to and convenient use of electric transport. Fuel and electricity consumption are also closely monitored.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Lubricants production is part of a much longer process and value chain, starting with the procurement of raw materials. The raw materials we use include complex chemical raw materials, renewable raw materials, and a wide range of base fluids.
We ensure that the raw materials used comply with all EHS regulations (Environmental, Health and Safety) and that our resulting products meet the latest and highest Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) approval. They are sourced from compliant and reputable suppliers, and the engine lubricants we manufacture are designed to enhance machinery performance while reducing emissions, maintenance costs, and wear and tear.
The demand for safer, cleaner products has led to a significant increase in the development of environmentally sensitive and biodegradable lubricants that still deliver performance comparable to their mineral counterparts.
We have a growing range of award-winning, highperformance, biodegradable, certified NSF food-safe and environmentally sensitive products, using the natural benefits of sheep’s lanolin. Our PROLAN Range of Rust Prevention products offer a “Tough on Rust” solution without all the toxic chemicals usually associated with such products. For the workshops and the end user, they are safe, easy to apply, and clean to use. The key ingredient is lanolin, made from sheep’s wool, which is non-toxic and helps protect our environment, especially in rivers, oceans, marinas, forests, and other land areas.
Our BIOLUBE and ENVIROYL ranges use vegetablebased raw materials rather than petroleum-based oils to produce high-performance hydraulic and other industrial lubricants that all help reduce environmental impact.
Further developments include the launch of a new range of non-lithium-based greases, made instead from anhydrous calcium, which offers a more sustainable resource and involves less impactful mining practices.
All products are ideal for the natural countryside, food production, waterways, forestry and farmland. Our specific environmental range includes coolants, chain oils, hydraulic oils, two stroke, wire rope lubricant and other general multi-purpose products. Many industries such as agriculture, marine, horticulture, plant / off highway and renewable energy companies are already experiencing the benefits of this change. We also offer a range of low-toxic paints and coatings which are ideal for your business and home.
We are very proud of this unique and yet remarkable range of products and have been delighted to win awards for our innovation. We continually work hard to find new alternative solutions to traditional chemical-based products.
SAFE & CLEAN OIL STORAGE SOLUTIONS
Lubricants need to be kept safe and stored correctly, not only because it is the law, but also because it provides safer working conditions. As part of our service, we supply a range of unique bulk storage tanks for workshops.
Lubricants are filled up in the colour coded tanks as required, and the tanks have sight gauges, taps or pumps and come labelled with the different product names and their application.
Simple, clean, and easy to use, these tanks help keep working space tidy, safe and they avoid spills from containers. They can avoid oil contamination and improve the environment by using less packaging on individual products. Finally, they provide important health & safety requirements for lubricant storage and with good maintenance the tanks will last for up to 50 years.
IMPROVED WASTE MANAGEMENT
Responsible collection of our waste materials is of great importance to us. We are continually seeking new and innovative solutions to recycle more of our waste and reduce the amount we produce in the first place.
• We only use certified and approved waste disposal companies to ensure they work closely with the Environmental Agency and are up to date with all regulatory aspects.
• We have also invested in a baling machine to compact our cardboard waste into smaller, denser, easy-to-recycle bundles, which enables less frequent collection.
• We recycle printer cartridges, electronic equipment and paper waste.
• We are cutting down on the use of paper communications, using email to send customer invoices, statements and other internal and external correspondence wherever possible. We are delighted to report that over the past year, we have printed approximately 48,000 fewer sheets of paper through the office printers than the year before, which equates to a 40% reduction in paper use and less ink and energy used in printing.
• The blending flush we use to clean out our lubricant tanks in the manufacturing process is recycled into chain oil and then sold on, avoiding further waste and a great use of turning one product into another, without compromise.
According to Ribble Packaging, industrial packaging and waste experts, a standard pine tree with 45ft of usable trunk and an eight-inch diameter will produce around 10,000 sheets of paper. This means that our paper savings from last year alone have helped to save around 5 trees!!
48,000 FEWER SHEETS OF PAPER USED
In addition, we have reviewed the ink usage on the thousands of product labels we make each year and have redesigned the back labels to use less high colour content, and the results have been amazing. We have been able to reduce the amount of ink cartridges used by approximately 43%, which means we have saved over 500 ink cartridges. We can now also produce an impressive 284 labels from each ink cartridge, up from 163 previously.
43% REDUCTION IN INK USAGE
We will continue to monitor our savings in paper, ink, and all office procedures, and will also work hard, as part of our environmental objectives, to reduce waste further where we can.
NATURE RECOVERY INITIATIVES
1. CREATE NEW OFFSITE NATURE RECOVERY INITIATIVES
By working with customers and environmental or wildlife organisations such as the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, we are launching new collaborations and support new initiatives that help improve biodiversity and ecological restoration in various areas of our trading locations. For example, with Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, we are supporting one of their new Conservation Projects in Hawthorpe, South Lincolnshire, where old intensively farmed arable land, which has been taken out of production decades ago, is being returned to a natural landscape. New wildflower rich grasslands and new species are now able to thrive, river habitats have been re-linked and wildlife can naturally recover and prosper. We have also started working with a farming customer in South Lincolnshire, supporting their beehive project and more diverse land management goals. There may even be some Witham Honey as a lovely outcome.
2. SUPPORT OF EDUCATION AT WHISBY NATURE RESERVE
Whisby Education Centre lies just outside Lincoln, surrounded by 370 acres of nature reserve. It has been carefully designed to balance countryside recreation, nature conservation and environmental education. With regular events planned for all ages, it presents unique opportunities to experience and learn about the natural world first hand. Through our fundraising achieved at our annual ball this year, we hope to support the Centre with vital equipment such as binoculars, microscopes and other items to help support the learning for all ages from Early Years, Primary, Secondary and Further Education.
3. ONSITE NATURE PROJECT INITIATIVES
We will be working on our two Witham depot sites at Lincoln and Soham this year to implement some new simple initiatives to bring back nature. From bird boxes and insect hotels, to looking at ways we can create small natural habitats within the concrete limitations we have.
"In addition to our operational goals and commitments to the environment, our vision this year is to create ways to help a thriving natural world, with support for wildlife and habitats to help address the climate and ecological emergencies. We hope our involvement with local businesses and organisations will not only go a small way in helping support offsite schemes and initiatives but also inspire and empower others to take action for nature too."
Nigel Bottom - MD
SUMMARY - IMPROVE YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN
Despite the wide range of products we manufacture and supply, our aim is always to operate in a climate of excellence. Not only in terms of service and procedures for customers, but also for systems of product manufacture, the welfare, health and safety of all of our employees and those people affected by our activities. We operate with high values and ethics of corporate care and social responsibility, and work hard to ensure we remain a sustainable choice for everyone.
Credit: Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
