SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURING
In June 2019, parliament passed legislation requiring the government to reduce the UK’s net emissions of greenhouse gases by 100%, relative to 1990 levels, by 2050. Doing so would make the UK a ‘net zero’ emitter. Net zero refers to achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. CO₂ is seen as the largest contributor to climate change.
Dextra Group plc has a long established history of market leading technological innovation and process sustainability. Our goal to reach zero carbon emissions is in line with the United Nation’s Climate Change Race to Zero campaign by 2050. The science based target of limiting global warming levels to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels is ambitious but imperative if nationally we are to establish a de-carbonised economy and Dextra Group is a willing contributor in the race.
Dextra Group has committed to set near-term company-wide emission reductions in line with climate science with the SBTi.
Dextra Group has been fully committed to UK manufacturing for over 47 years, never shifting its emphasis from the importance of producing high quality lighting products on home soil whilst delivering an industry leading service to its clients.
A rapidly changing world highlights the need to change our consumption patterns and minimise waste. By adopting the principles of a circular economy, maximising product longevity and focusing our design efforts on ease of repair and upgrade we can bring obvious benefits to our clients whilst lessening our collective environmental impact.
At Dextra we have taken great steps towards improving the sustainability of our product ranges:
- Our luminaires are designed for simple repair and end of life upgrade in the field
- All components are mounted using standard fasteners allowing simple replacement with commonly available tools.
- Only components from European brands such as Philips, Osram and Tridonic are used, ensuring replacement parts are widely available and that they offer state of the art life expectancy.
- We use lithium batteries with substantially longer life expectancy than traditional chemistries such as Nickel Cadmium or Nickel Metal Hydride.
- We use premium LEDs offering exception life expectancy up to L90 at 80,000 operating hours ensuring both longevity as well as best in class efficiency reducing power consumption and therefore minimising CO2 emissions.
In order to ensure transparency with regards to the environmental impact of both our products and our factory we have invested heavily in supporting data and are able to offer TM65 embodied carbon calculations for every product we manufacture covering nearly 20,000 product SKUs, as well as TM66 CEAM assessments for all of our product ranges.
Continuous improvements
We are continuously developing both new and existing products to reduce embodied carbon and improve their efficiency, longevity and ease of repair to further minimise our environmental impact. This process extends beyond the luminaire to our packaging and factory processes where we have eliminated all single use plastics, use only plain card boxes with paper tape which are easily recycled and have invested heavily in energy efficient equipment and substantial solar installations in order to minimise our carbon footprint.
“We have removed all single use plastics and polystyrene from all of our packaging. Luminaire packaging is now in wooden crates with minimal cardboard usage, simplifying waste disposal on site with a single material type that can be fully recycled”
Rethinking recycling
Dextra operate a full Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling service through its delivery fleet which are back filled with waste luminaires, reducing unnecessary journeys. Over 95% of all equipment and products collected by Dextra Group are either recycled or reused.
Green machine
Dextra has embraced green energy in its manufacturing process, further reducing the company’s environmental impact and carbon footprint. Dextra maintains a large solar array on our buildings at the premises in Gillingham, Dorset and as the final solar installation was completed during 2024, generation output has been included within the kWh figures reported this year.
Find out more by viewing our carbon reduction plan.
Dextra Group are continually striving to source the most innovative, energy efficient and sustainable equipment for its manufacturing processes.
Wherever possible we encourage our employees to adopt the ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme, walk to work or car share where viable.
Carbon offsets
Despite all of the adopted sustainable innovations some CO₂ will unavoidably be released as the result of its manufacturing and business operations. In 2018 Dextra Group initiated a number of carbon offsetting measures on an estate in Exmoor.
They included changes to existing habitat management and a comprehensive carbon sequestration scheme. Across its 900 acres the estate working with DEFRA, Natural England and other stakeholders, is planting additional trees which absorb CO₂ and create a ‘carbon bank’ at an equivalent rate of 1 tonne of CO₂ per tree over its lifetime.
All calculations are monitored, assessed and verified via an independent specialist consultant. Implementing changes to the management of the land benefits existing habitats whilst creating new ones, results in a thriving, sustainable and diverse estate.
Following substantial tree planting and the inclusion into a Countryside Stewardship scheme, carbon storage has increased across the estate to just over 70,000 tonnes which equates to an annual CO₂ sequestration of over 1013 tonnes.
Commitment to the environment
Dextra will continue to operate the business in an ever increasing ecologically responsible manner that minimises risk to our; environment, employees, customers and the wider community. To design and manufacture luminaires that are as energy efficient as possible through continuous internal research and development. Producing sensors and control systems that further reduce energy consumption via enhanced presence and natural daylight detection. Dextra Group is proud to operate an ISO Integrated Management System. The accreditation confirms that Dextra Group meets the highest of international environmental standards.DOWNLOAD PDF
