Caerphilly-based GKR Maintenance & Building Co Ltd (GKR) has made improvements to business processes in order to increase productivity and carbon savings, while carrying out kitchen installations.

GKR put together an improvement team consisting of company directors, programme managers, team leaders and tradesmen in order to identify how the kitchen installation process, in occupied premises, can be made more environmentally friendly. GKR used data capture tools and simulation models, in order to calculate the most effective process of carrying out kitchen installations considering all elements of the process.

The findings were shocking. Through process mapping and waste analysis improvement opportunities were identified and reduced the number of visits by tradesmen to properties. A saving of 497 visits saved per annum was identified. This equates to a total carbon saving of £32,305 per annum, based on van sharing on an average 60 miles round trip. In terms of CO2 emissions the results found are that GKR, by making small changes to productivity and planning, could reduce CO2 by 12.4 tonnes per annum. This is based on number of reduced visits per year, decrease in mileage and CO2 emissions of a van.

Chris Dennis, Director of GKR commented: “ By taking the time to look at and make small changes to processes within the company, we have found startling reductions can easily be made to the carbon foot print of the company. Simple adjustments and team communication will not only give us carbon savings of over £30,000 per annum but the CO2 emissions will be greatly reduced. If other companies took the time to consider how they can make business processes more efficient it will save them money and greatly help the environment.”