Capture it, transform it

Phil Litchfield, Sustainability Manager at Brett Landscaping, predicts that sustainability will be one of the key areas of concern for manufacturers in 2022.

The merchant sector – led by the Builders Merchants Federation – has been working very hard to ‘build a sustainable Britain’ and this principle is fully supported by many manufacturers.

Manufacturers working in the construction sector are looking at several areas of improvement with a focus on decarbonisation, water efficiency and waste. They are looking at different opportunities to optimise the amount of materials used, to reduce waste and to reuse or recycle.

At Brett Landscaping we have looked at every aspect of our business and have committed to ensuring we have sustainable operations and a resilient supply chain – with further measures planned for 2022.

Brett is reducing packaging and waste while working on further improvements in the efficiency of manufacturing and transport processes. The plastic strap used across all our manufactured products is 100% recycled, we are also working to eliminate plastic wrapping wherever possible as well as working with the industry to utilise materials with high recycled content.

At our Kent processing plant, Brett has both water abstraction and recycling facilities. There are three weirs and a ‘silt-buster’ this means that the volume of water coming from the regional water supply is drastically reduced.

However, no manufacturers should be resting on their laurels and Brett certainly won’t be doing that. Plans for 2022 include further carbon reduction and reducing pollution from our manufacturing and logistics operations. We will also be increasing the use of renewable energy at all of our sites.

Brett also plans to work collaboratively with local partners to increase biodiversity and to work more closely with suppliers to ensure that they demonstrate the same commitment to sustainability.

Increasing sustainability does not mean that there has to be any sacrifice of quality however. Improved efficiency can go hand-in-hand with the creation of premium products.

One advance is a laser scanner that ensures consistency in manufacturing to avoid any variation and monitors for any defects in the face texture. There is also a facility for laser height management and a new, advanced colour batching system to ensure consistency throughout.

These and other advances in technology have allowed Brett to create products that wouldn’t have been possible previously.

One of the ranges launched in 2021 that we predict will be increasingly popular in 2022 is the new Invicta range.

The product has been developed following a programme of significant investment and expansion of manufacturing capacity. This investment has allowed Brett to develop its manufacturing processes to be able to blend specially sourced aggregates to create new paving finishes which are unique to Brett Landscaping.

Through this new AggTech process unique natural aggregates are used on the surface of each paving block to create a stunning durable finish.

The Invicta range is available in four colours: Pearl, Moonstone, Onyx and Citrine. The colours are complementary so the different shades can be laid and arranged to meet a bespoke design brief, or to the preferred style and taste of the homeowner or client.

The introduction of the Invicta range is the latest in a long line of product developments from Brett Landscaping, and is the beginning of a new generation of products that we are building capacity and capability for at our UK manufacturing centres.

Included as part of the Invicta range are additional Invicta Flow paving blocks which are manufactured with a unique nib design for applications where permeable paving and a SuDS solution is a requirement. Permeable paving is another area that is key to helping to positively affect the built environment in regards to preserving water and preventing damaging surface water flooding.

While Brett continues to produce premium products in a sustainable manner we hope to also offer a premium service to all of our merchant partners in 2022 and we look forward to helping merchants to build a sustainable Britain.

To find out more about Brett Landscaping contact us on 0345 60 80 577.

5 Features to Consider for Driveway Paving

Introducing PaveScape: Brett Landscaping's Paving Visualiser Tool!

110 Years of Brett: A Special Giveaway

Sign up to our newsletter for our latest offers & inspiration