Despite volatile energy prices since late 2021, MGS Technical Plastics has reduced its carbon footprint by 41%. Judson Smythe, Managing Director, explains the commercial benefits and why the measures taken forward by the company extend way beyond ticking sustainability and legislative boxes.
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In manufacturing, but polymer processing especially, power and energy consumption are critical considerations that directly impact operational costs, environmental sustainability and overall productivity. By adopting cleaner technologies, improving resource efficiency and building supply chain partnerships that support a plastics circular economy, MGS has embedded sustainability into every decision.
“By prioritising sustainability and investing in environmentally responsible practices, MGS has lowered its carbon footprint by over 40% in just four years while unlocking greater commercial gains,” says Judson. The company’s roadmap is aiming for Net Zero before 2050. To reach this, its strategy comprises clear interim goals focused on energy efficiency, digital transformation, material usage and circular manufacturing.
Through smarter energy management and targeted investments in all-electric and digital technologies, MGS has reduced its electricity consumption by over 28% in three years. In the same timeframe, its turnover increased by over £1.4m. This enabled MGS to produce approximately 450,000 more components using significantly less energy. Given that over 90% of its energy use is tied to production, these steps to cut emissions are especially impressive.
Highlighting that no machine in their fleet is over six years old, Judson shares that it can sometimes be challenging to justify investing in cleaner technologies when the lifecycle of moulding machines can reach 20 years. On the flipside, the faster cycle times, reduced energy, higher moulding precision and fewer rejects are persuasive benefits of modern machines.
“To support us, we implemented a very structured and result-driven sustainability programme. It’s unrealistic to do everything at once, so we have clear interim goals, and regular reporting and evaluation reviews to maintain progress, accountability and agility.”
For example, weekly sustainability goals are tracked via a centralised MES system, with operational managers responsible for execution and reporting findings directly to the leadership team. Judson cites the introduction of InTouch Monitoring as being a significant game-changer for tracking energy use and patterns. “It supports paperless workflows, digital job scheduling, real-time energy tracking, and downtime analysis.”
The data generated is used by MGS to optimise operations, reduce waste and inform process improvements, influencing the company’s sustainability targets and strategic decision-making.
Additionally, all energy consumed at the Blackburn facility is sourced either from on-site solar panels or Urban Chain, a renewable energy provider. With more panels added to the solar energy system in 2024, MGS trebled its solar power generation from 50 kWh to 150 kWh, producing enough power to cover 15% of its energy use.
Assisting customers in transitioning to more bio-diverse materials is another company’s sustainability strategy. Using recycled and biodegradable materials, such as gum-tec, contributes to sustainability projects like reusable deodorant, vertical planters and lightweight automotive components.
Additionally, in mid-2025, MGS secured another multi-million-pound contract with a renewable energy client based on the company’s sustainability credentials.
“Energy-efficient technology adoption of this scale requires a clear forward-thinking approach with robust ROI projections and a phased rollout plan. This is more than just industry stewardship; these steps are imperative for the future of manufacturing,” concludes Judson.