Powering up with E.ON – Russells investing in greener energy

The last innovation by pioneering Russell Roof Tiles sees them sign a £600k deal with energy giant E.ON to enable Russells to generate its own energy and become even more sustainable.

E.ON won the contract to install a new combined heat and power (CHP) system for Russells, one of the UK’s largest independent roof tile manufacturers. The 15-year agreement sees E.ON manage the installation and operations at Russells head office and manufacturing plant at Nicolson Way in Burton-on-Trent.

This is the latest initiative by Russell Roof Tiles who are the only British roof tile manufacturer to have achieved an “excellent” rating for responsible sourcing, recognising the company’s dedication to sustainability.  Russells invests in sustainability right across its procurement process, from raw materials through to energy management.

The installation of the 240kW CHP unit which has already started on site – which generates both heat and electricity from the same fuel source – will help reduce the firm’s dependency on the grid and provides a more efficient heat to assist with the tile making process – when it is complete in December.

Andrew Hayward Managing Director at Russell Roof Tiles, said: “This investment in is an important next step in our ambitions to be even more sustainable as a business, allows us to reduce emissions and lessen our carbon footprint.

“As a company we are dedicated to reducing the impact we make on our environment, working hard with our customers and suppliers to create a reduced sustainble footprint.”

Phil Gilbert, Director of Energy Solutions at E.ON, added: “This project will ensure Russell Roof Tiles has a more reliable and efficient energy supply that allows the business to get on with what they do best – providing roofing solutions for commercial and housing projects. Alongside that, we can use our expertise in energy solutions to maximise efficiency and deliver guaranteed performance of the plant within a flexible operation strategy.

“E.ON is well placed to deliver integrated energy solutions for the manufacturing sector, helping to combine on-site energy technology with customers’ operational needs and to explore opportunities in the energy markets where customers can potentially benefit from providing backup power sources for the UK grid.”

Russell Roof Tiles manufactures on state of the art plants in Burton on Trent and Lochmaben.  The company has a multimillion capital investment programme to ensure that its production is highly efficient.