NAC Group helps BAE Systems to move home
8 Jun 2011 4:06pm
Moving the whole BAE Systems operation from its base in Birtley, to a new site in Washington, has been a big challenge. The Birtley plant started operation in 1916, and is a significant part of the Region’s industrial heritage, with materials, signs and documents that needed to be preserved. At the same time, it has been important to find a positive use for all the unwanted furniture and equipment – in line with BAE Systems’ desire to minimise the environmental impact of its move.
Rita Potts, Head of Logistics at the NAC Group, said “We supported BAE with the planning of the move which encompassed some of the decommissioning issues of the site. With BAE we saw this as an opportunity to develop our Green Supply Chain community, and integrate projects between industry, SME’s and the third sector’.
The NAC Group came up with the innovative solution of recycling the unwanted goods to charities and other SMEs within the region. The Red Cross has taken responsibility for this recycling activity, and will benefit from the proceeds of any sales. The goods become part of a ‘green supply chain’ rather than being sent for landfill – reducing waste and contributing to social impact.
The project, which has been funded by One NorthEast and the European Regional Development Fund, is part of the regional Growth Logistics 2 programme. The approach is currently being extended to all clients of the NAC Group, using a dedicated website called Connect Excess.
Read more in The Journal article here!