Wiltshire-based industrial graphic and print specialist Bex Design & Print has implemented a four-day working week as part of its sustainability strategy.
The move follows in the footsteps of the company’s existing sustainable practices, such as the use of solar panels, low-energy LED lights, heat reclamation and eco-friendly ink disposal.
Every Friday, the company’s print factory in Calne will be completely shut down to save electricity, reduce employee car journeys and improve productivity. Only the office remains open for customer enquiries on Friday mornings.
Mel Conway, managing director at Bex Design, said, ‘The primary motivation of this new approach is our dedication to minimising our environmental impact. By ceasing operations for an entire day, we significantly reduce our energy consumption as all machinery remains inactive.
‘The shut down and four-day week offers a perk for our team members too. Giving our factory team a three-day weekend, every week, means they can enjoy a better work-life balance and come back to work every Monday feeling refreshed.’
‘Customers can rest assured that lead times are not affected by the change – we have been trialling the new approach since January with success before formally implementing the four-day week.’
Bex Design & Print supplies industrial graphics and printed components including printed electronics, overlays and labels for the electronics, traffic management, medical, fire and renewable energy sectors.
On top of the Friday shut down, the company’s factory also incorporates numerous sustainable initiatives. In 2014, solar panels were installed on the roof. Since then, the panels have supplied 20% of the company’s yearly energy requirements on average.
Additionally, the factory and office facility have been fitted with auto-dimming low-energy LED lights throughout, and a system, where heating is ducted from a CNC machine utilising waste heat, has been implemented. Bex Design also uses eco-friendly ink disposal and has an on-site chemical reclamation system, ensuring that production processes are environmentally friendly.
