Plastic Industry Awards 2010
It was a night of celebration for SPRA Corporate Member, Rosti UK at the Plastics Industry Awards 2010. Enjoying its 10th year as a social and business highlight of the UK plastics industry, this year's awards were held at the London Hilton Hotel on Park Lane on Friday 1st October 2010.
The Plastics Industry Awards is the industry's most prestigious awards initiative. The awards offer an insight into current developments in materials usage, product design and innovative manufacturing as well as identifying excellence in training and environmental performance.
The awards were open to all companies involved in the UK plastics industry including OEM manufacturers, processors and consultants. Rosti UK was shortlisted in three award categories:
- Processor of the Year (Sponsored by Engel Moulders Group)
- Best Environmental or Energy Efficiency Programme (Sponsored by Krauss Maffei)
- Apprentice / Trainee of the Year (Sponsored by Aquapurge)
WINNER - Apprentice / Trainee of the Year
Apprentice Tooling Engineer Scott Dickson has achieved much in the five years he has been employed by Rosti UK. Scott has developed to a level of excellence through his personal commitment, training and qualifications gained, including SVQ Levels 2 and 3 and an HNC in Engineering Management. His training this year has focused on the project management of a customer project involving multiple tools, ultrasonic welding and assembly - from concept to reality.
The Plastics Industry Awards judges were impressed with Scott's acquisition of skills and knowledge, which have been applied and demonstrated through the completion of a number of projects involving product improvement through the application of flow analysis and tooling enhancement.
The Judges commented that, a broad knowledge of the disciplines involved in all aspects of design through to manufacture, together with detailed knowledge and skill in tooling design and manufacture has created a well developed individual who will have a positive impact on the company and the industry's future.
Congratulations Scott!
WINNER - Best Environmental or Energy Efficiency Initiative
As part of our climate change agreement, Rosti UK is fully focused on its carbon reduction commitment. The installation of a wind turbine (est Nov 2011) will be one of very few in the UK plastics industry. The turbine can support up to 60% of the company's total energy requirement. Rosti UK is targeting a CO2 emission reduction of 270 tonnes in 2010. A new process cooling and compressed air system has also been installed. The old water tower has been replaced by an adiabatic cooler and the chiller by a four stage scroll compressor system, saving around 100 tonnes of CO2 per annum. Adopting variable speed air compressor drives will save a further 75 tonnes of CO2 per annum. At the half way stage this year, savings were ahead of target at 210 tonnes CO2.
Rosti UK's waste reduction target, centering on the recycling of plastic scrap, cardboard, paper, aluminium cans and plastic cups, aims at a reduction of 20% in landfill input for 2010.
As a local community project, Rosti UK is sponsoring an Eco Garden and outdoor classroom in the local primary school, providing project management assistance, funding for solar panels and lighting, donations of plants and water reclamation containers.
The judges were enthusiastic about Rosti UK's well rounded energy saving and environmental enhancement programme, alongside commendable community related activities which deliver corporate and social responsibility at a local level.
Other SPRA Corporate Members celebrating success at the 2010 Plastics Industry Awards were Engel UK Ltd, who were joint winners of the award for Prime Machinery and Plastribution Ltd, the latest SPRA Corporate Member who were joint winners of the award for Polymer Distributor.
Report by Barry Coughlan, COO Rosti Europe and SPRA Vice-President, Oct 2010
