Seahawk Clothing - even small companies can gain

Company background

Glenrothes-based Seahawk Clothing Limited employs 12 staff and produces specialist protective clothing for destinations as far a field as Bermuda and Holland as well as supplying many organisations in Scotland and the UK.

For a business that focuses on manufacturing clothing to protect offshore, emergency and power workers from the environment, it is fitting that Seahawk Clothing has turned its attention to how the company can improve its own environmental performance.

Making changes to adopt better environmental policies must also make good business sense. Seahawk's directors believe this is especially relevant in small companies where changes have to be implemented carefully to avoid disruption to day-to-day operations.  At Seahawk where every sewing job is measured in minutes, disturbances to production, however worthy, can impact on the financial performance of the company.  The company therefore adopted a policy of improvement for the benefit of staff, company and the environment. 

Good housekeeping and recycling

The company started with good housekeeping which ensured that the factory and office is cleaned every night with all waste sorted and recycled.  Paper and cardboard are recycled and industrial waste, including sweepings, is placed in the BIFFA collection bin that was installed outside the workshop entrance. 

New kitchen and canteen facilities were installed, with modern, energy efficient equipment.  The facilities have encouraged recycling and boosted staff morale.  The company is currently searching for a specialist waste company to collect and recycle cotton material scraps left over from production. 

Heating

A further boost to staff performance was the installation of a warm air heater to maintain a comfortable working temperature in the large factory sewing area. The heater is much more efficient than the previous heating arrangements and the company is already seeing a reduction in his gas costs of approximately 25% over two years.  Additionally the installation of a new automatic roller-door has improved the building's insulation.

Lighting

New energy efficient lighting was installed throughout the workroom and significantly reduced electricity costs.  Seahawk was able to qualify for a grant from Fife Council which covered 30% of the costs.

Manufacturing process

Energy use has also been reduced with new energy efficient sewing machines including automatic power down when not in use.  This reduces the company's energy bills, but is also important in the costing of the garments in the highly competitive market place. 

Business and environmental benefits

Seahawk's directors understand that with increasing competition from emerging economies such as China, Seahawk must be able to maintain production volume, high quality standards and competitive pricing in order to remain competitive. 

Customers, particularly energy companies, do enquire about environmental performance and are impressed by the Seahawk commitment to adopt greener policies.  The Directors had previous experience of environmental management and believed it was the best way to assess the company's environmental performance and formalise its new innovations.  Although it took a year to achieve, Seahawk Clothing now has ISO 9000 status and is a firm believer in the benefits of the independent auditing process that comes with the scheme.

Seahawk Clothing has proved that even small companies can make changes that benefit the environment, staff and the company's financial performance.