Pritchitts - A Lakeland Dairies Company

Water and waste management are key areas that Pritchitts is focussing on. They have installed water reduction and water saving equipment and are working to implement a waste initiative which aims to see a reduction of waste to landfill of 80% by mid 2011. Pritchitts have collaborated with a waste partner to initiate a process to use the effluent sludge from the treatment plant as a feed to grow biofuels for renewable energy use. This allows 70 hectares of willow to be grown and used as a renewable energy source and saves the equivalent fossil fuels required to be burnt to achieve the same energy release. Furthermore, this saves carbon emissions from fossil fuel burning. Other waste from production such as foil and plastic is now sold as a raw material for use in other industries, diverting 200 tonnes away from landfill.

Pritchitts works closely with suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of their operations.  They guarantee that the product from their main packaging supplier comes exclusively from renewable sources. This reduces the reliance on virgin raw materials for packaging associated with products and services. The company has worked with its product distribution agent to optimise pallet loading to minimize product miles. Similarly, an agreement between Pritchitts and United Dairy Farmers has halved the road miles and subsequent greenhouse gas emissions from the collection of raw milk from farms to the manufacturing site.

Pritchitts has also embarked on a programme of improved energy efficiency. Central to their large scale investments has been converting the steam raising boilers on site to natural gas and all gas and electricity is monitored half hourly allowing  for optimum plant efficiency. They are continually aiming to improve the energy efficiency of their operations. This includes upgrading their cooling, processing and pumping air systems so that they can eventually install wind turbines on site.