Greener Carpets from Ulster Carpets

Greener Carpetsfrom Ulster

Sustainability continues to top the agenda for manufacturers but for Ulster Carpets this is not a new area to focus on.

As the first company in Northern Ireland and the first textile manufacturer in the UK to be awarded the Carbon Standard Award, Ulster have continued to build on their reputation as industry pioneers. They backed this up recently by achieving Silver in the 2021 Northern Ireland Environmental Benchmarking Survey organised by Business in the Community.

“Sustainability is an ongoing process but one that we are very much committed to,” commented Beverley Copeland, Director, Organisation Development. “We have a dedicated group which focuses on sustainability and social responsibility that reviews current practices and implements new strategies to reduce our environmental impact.”

Many of these strategies come from Ulster’s own highly experienced staff.

“Our dedicated group includes people from across various departments and that gives us a full insight into the different needs of each aspect of the company. It is a collective approach and one that is working well for us,” added Beverley.

With the general public becoming more environmentally conscious, Ulster are finding that residential customers are now asking more questions about sustainability. The company’s involvement in the hospitality sector across the world has also led to increased focus on sustainability, particularly in the cruise ship sector. The fact that at least 80% natural wool is in every Ulster Carpet is a good starting point, but the company have also worked hard to reduce the environmental impact created by the manufacturing process.

One major change in this process came this year with the switch to a new green energy contract from Power NI, Northern Ireland’s leading energy provider. As a result, Ulster’s manufacturing and warehouse facilities in Portadown are now supplied with green energy generated by local, renewable sources.

Eddie Ruddell, Health, Safety and Environment Manager at Ulster Carpets, said: “We have always been a company with an ethos of sustainability. Founded in 1938, the company has invested in key strategic innovations to maintain local jobs, create a premium product and export globally to some of the most luxurious establishments in hospitality. “As a manufacturer, we have a responsibility to steward our people and planet well. Our latest strategic move in sustainability has been to partner with Power NI to procure 100% green electricity for our NI operations. This commitment is forecast to reduce our carbon footprint

Ulster Carpets mark their latest strategic move in sustainability by partnering with Power NI to procure 100% green electricity for their NI operations. From left are: Adam Stevenson, Procurement Manager, Ulster Carpets; Eddie Ruddell, Health, Safety and Environment Manager, Ulster Carpets; and Amy Bennington, Commercial Marketing Manager, Power NI. by over 950 tonnes per year – a key step in moving to decarbonise our manufacturing operations.” Power NI supplies around 40,000 businesses across NI, with over 150GWh of that electricity provided as green energy. Power NI’s parent company, Energia Group, has invested over €1 billion to date in the energy market across NI and ROI, focusing on their core segments of renewables, flexible generation and customer solutions. Amy Bennington, Commercial Marketing Manager at Power NI, added: “As Northern . The Natural Choice range from Ulster Carpets is made from 100% wool. Ireland’s largest electricity supplier, and as part of the Energia Group, we are committed to transforming how our customers use and generate energy, in a way that has a positive and sustainable impact on the environment. We are delighted to supply Ulster Carpets with green energy which would be the equivalent of powering over 1,000 average homes in Northern Ireland for a year.” The energy switch with Power NI is the latest move in Ulster’s long-term commitment to sustainability with more changes planned in the near future.

www.ulstercarpets.com

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT InterTradeIreland

InterTradeIreland is currently recruiting for three Director positions to help shape the future of the organisation and help support SMEs in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Director of Trade

We are looking for a Director to lead our Trade Team. Working closely with the CEO, as a member of the Senior Leadership team you will have responsibility for the development, delivery and scaling of InterTradeIreland’s trade strategy, supports and initiatives. Closing date: Monday 24th January, 5.00pm

Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

As Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship you will lead our Innovation and Entrepreneurship team and will be a key member of the Senior Leadership Team. You will have responsibility for development, delivery and scaling of InterTradeIreland’s innovation and entrepreneurship supports and initiatives.

Closing date: Monday 24th January, 5.00pm

Director of Strategy

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will be responsible for proposing and setting out the appropriate strategic direction and messaging of the organisation based on relevant all island economic information and intelligence/policy insights.

Closing date: Monday 31st January, 5.00pm

Come work for an organisation that values your input, encourages learning and development and has flexible working arrangements.

Apply at: www.intertradeireland.com/careers

AS THE NEW YEAR DAWNS, HERE’S HOW BUSINESSES CAN GET A HEAD START IN 2022

Margaret Hearty, InterTradeIreland CEO.

As we look forward to the New Year, change has certainly become our new norm.

The past 18 months saw firms trying to survive and improvise – however now it’s important to invest in new skills to aid recovery and growth says Margaret Hearty, Chief Executive Officer of InterTradeIreland.

The importance of ‘online’

The pandemic accelerated the shift to online and online sales grew exponentially. For business owners, this highlighted the importance of being ‘online’ and with this trend set to continue, it’s worth thinking how you can expand/improve your user experience.

Innovation is challenged

Lately, firms have been removed from their colleagues and customer base, resulting in less opportunity for collaboration. Despite businesses struggling, some sectors have been resilient, including biotechnology, which is set to dominate the agenda in 2022.

InterTradeIreland is committed to helping the ‘green economy’ through our Synergy programme which has funded collaborations with the Irish Bioeconomy Foundation. Additionally, we’re funding cross-border R&D partnerships through our Innovation Boost support.

Cross-border trade is vital

In the last economic downturn, exporting proved a huge factor for driving recovery. Both North/ South economies hold a number of advantages for businesses and InterTradeIreland can help. In addition to post-Brexit advice, we can help firms gain the skills to win new business with the Trade Accelerator Voucher, Elevate and Acumen.

Boost sales and funding

Going forward your business strategy should reflect how you can increase sales and funding. There are a number of opportunities for companies in the island’s public procurement market and we can help SMEs win contacts through our Go-2-Tender programme.

We can also assist with funding for growth opportunities through our Seedcorn Competition and Funding workshops.

Looking forward

2022 will bring challenges and opportunities for firms across the island. For companies who wish to explore these, InterTradeIreland is here to help.