Our mission
At Armac Martin, we are aware that as a business we have a responsibility to protect and future proof our planet, and so we are pledging that by 2025, we will have reduced our emissions by 50%, with the goal of reaching net zero by 2041.
Our in-house Sustainability Committee is actively engaging with experts who are auditing the business and using science-based targets to support our sustainability journey. By creating a plan that outlines our intentions and goals, we can actively and consistently make changes to ensure sustainability is always at the forefront of our decision-making process across all areas.
A message from our Co-CEO Rob McGrail
“Communicating your sustainability efforts can sometimes feel a little intimidating from the fear of not doing enough. However, we feel that in sharing the changes we are already implementing and having full transparency, this will only spur us on to further our efforts and accelerate our journey to becoming a greener business.”
Read on to discover some of the sustainable initiatives we have introduced here at Armac Martin.
Longevity
Our sustainable efforts start at the beginning of the design process. Before we manufacture anything new, our product development team thoughtfully design pieces with timeless appeal. Whilst our designers draw influence from current interior trends, it is a purpose to produce designs with longevity that sits at the forefront.
Made from the finest solid brass, our luxury hardware products are skilfully engineered and hand-finished and it is the weight of our products that makes each piece a durable option. We also consistently review our portfolio of signature brass finishes to further improve their durability.
Recycle & reuse
Each year we produce 70 tonnes of brass swarf and so alongside recycling materials like paper and plastic, our brass swarf is also recycled at a specialist plant. Brass is 100% recyclable and the material is melted down allowing us to then reuse the brass to create beautiful new products. This is a much more economical method compared to continually harvesting new raw material for our collections.
Recycled packaging
We are currently in the process of removing all plastic from our packaging and have already made the switch to paper void fill and water activated tape to gradually meet our plastic-free packaging goal. Although this may seem a simple change, it’s one that requires attention to ensure that in doing so, we don’t increase waste materials elsewhere. All of our products are crafted from solid brass and often come complete with the fixings too and so we must package each piece suitably to ensure the products do not get scratched.
Receiving returns for damaged products and the process of refinishing leads to inefficiency and extra transport pollution, as well as manufacturing emissions, which ends up unsustainable. If you do receive an order with plastic packaging, please rest assured this element of our packaging will be removed very shortly and is purely there to protect your products. We are currently trialling fully sustainable packaging whilst finding the right suppliers to work with.
Factory updates
The manufacturing industry is the third largest contributor to emissions making it imperative that as a sector, we pioneer for a reduction in emissions to meet targets set by the government. We use 100% renewable energy sources and have updated all of our lighting to LED; not only does this improve efficiency, it improves the visibility in the working environment too.
Our machinery has all been audited and we now understand which components to replace to improve efficiency and reduce emissions, whilst the addition of any new machinery we purchase now has to meet energy efficiency requirements.
Greener transport
Transport is an area of the business we are continually striving to improve. We are a proud partner of Cycle Scheme UK and encourage our team to cycle to work as an alternative to other modes of transport. We have invested in a bike shed and the scheme provides our employees with benefits when purchasing bikes and cycling accessories. We also have numerous members of the team who carshare, both helping to reduce our overall carbon emissions and aligning our efforts with Birmingham's Clean Air Zone. Alongside this, a large percentage of our company vehicles are electric and we are working to have a fully electric fleet by 2025.
A circular economy
We believe in the longevity of our products and so if you have purchased an Armac Martin product and wish for it to be refinished to last longer in your home, please email sales@armacmartin.co.uk for a quote on refinishing your products.
We are also happy to recycle your pre-loved Armac Martin products. Please email sales@armacmartin.co.uk with the subject line ‘Recycle Me’ and we will arrange for your products to be collected and recycled. Currently, we can only offer this service to our UK customers.
The future
Our Sustainability Committee endeavours to meet our targets ahead of schedule to be net zero by 2041. To reach this goal, we are continuously making small changes, alongside larger sustainability projects that require investment. We are proud to champion sustainability and welcome ideas to further improve our efforts.
