‘Green grant is helping us to save £35,000 a year’
A FURNITURE restoration and manufacturing company is saving about £35,000 a year while and reducing its carbon footprint, thanks to a county council programme.
Stafford-based Taylor’s Classics Furniture signed up to the council’s Green Solutions programme, which offers grans of up to £100,000 to cover half of the cost of introducing energy-saving measures.
Taylor’s used its grant to modify its factory, office and showroom with energy-saving measures solar panels.
Richard Forrester, warehouse and sustainability manager, said: “Around two years ago during the energy crisis that we started to look at being more energy efficient as a business.
“We’ve reduced our energy consumption and powered up through the Green Solutions grant scheme.
Richard Forrester
“The programme team provided us with free energy assessments and through the grant we installed solar panels to help reduce our demand from the grid and become more selfsustainable as a business.
“We’re saving in the region of £35,000 a year, meaning we can invest again in our journey to be net zero.”
Support through Green Solutions includes free energy assessments tailored to each business, providing recommendations for improvements and modifications.
Eligible businesses can access the low carbon grants of up to £100,000, covering 50 per cent of costs for implementation.
They will also be offered accredited carbon literacy training, equipping them with the expertise and skills to proactively reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Businesses keen on participating in this programme or exploring other available schemes are encouraged to fill out the expression of interest requiring the company’s house reference number at www. staffordshire.gov.uk/GreenSolutions
Staffordshire County Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills, Philip White, said: “The Green Solutions scheme offers a fantastic opportunity for businesses to make essential improvements to their operations that will support their growth, increase productivity and reduce carbon emissions and energy costs.
“It’s great to see it making a difference to Taylor’s Classics Furniture – an established business with a national customer base.
“It is a fundamental part of a business’s evolution that their operations become more sustainable, whether through improvements to their premises or production methods.
“It is a county council priority to support our businesses and tackle climate change and we’re sure this programme will help to deliver those commitments. It is essential that businesses get in touch now as there is a deadline for project completion.”