BAL goes greener with new energy deal



BAL – market-leaders in full tiling solutions – have signed a new 24-month energy contract with a 100% renewable energy provider.

Beginning this month, the Stoke-on-Trent-based manufacturer of tile adhesives, grouts, levellers and other ancillary tiling products will be supplied by Ørsted – a Danish company that leads the world in offshore wind.

Formed as DONG Energy in 2006 following the merger of six Danish energy companies, Ørsted have completed divested their black energy operations and have established themselves with a 25% market share in offshore wind operations.

On a global scale, they have built enough offshore wind to power 9.5 million people, with an ambition by 2025 to power 30 million people with offshore wind.

In 2017, Ørsted opened the world’s largest offshore wind turbines at Burbo Bank Extension in Liverpool Bay and continue to grow its offshore presence in UK waters.

Paul Vickers, Head of Procurement at BAL, said: “At BAL we are always looking at ways to cut our carbon footprint, from replacing our lighting systems with energy-saving LEDs to light detectors, replacement of steam boilers and new dedicated energy-saving air compressors.

“Moving to a 100% renewable energy provider is just another footstep on the path to being as carbon neutral as we can.

“Ørsted are a pioneering renewables firm – leading the world in offshore wind – and we are proud to have them as our energy provider.”

As well as numerous energy saving and waste recycling initiatives, BAL also supports Cool Earth – the environmental charity protecting rainforests worldwide.

Cool Earth works with local communities to protect imminently threatened rainforest and protectively blockades tens of thousands of acres of adjacent forest in the Amazon rainforest in Peru.

Alex Underwood, Head of Marketing added: “With our support, Cool Earth’s initiatives in the Ashaninka region have helped save 350 acres from deforestation.

“This means more than 80,000 trees have been protected with more than 90,000 tonnes of CO2 locked-in. This is particularly crucial has deforestation has played a massive part in the climate emergency we are currently dealing with.”

Encompassing all of BAL’s processes is continual improvement. The business is triple badges to all three management system standards (9001, 14001 and 18001) and it is currently working towards ISO 50001 Energy Management Standard.