Numatic International – maker of the Henry vacuum – has announced the switch on of its new £1m micro-solar-park in Chard(Image: Numatic International)
The company behind the famous Henry vacuum cleaner has switched on new £1m solar farm in Somerset. The micro-solar-park in Chard has been built to address the cost-of-energy crisis, according to Numatic International, and will help the business produce hundreds of thousands of vacuums a year.
The five-acre solar park will supply clean power directly into Numatic’s plastic moulding operations – one of the most energy-intensive parts of the manufacturing process.
Numatic says the park, which was installed by SunGift Solar, will allow it to make 500,000 Henrys a year using the power of the sun, while reducing its carbon emissions.
Stephen George, regulatory affairs and sustainability manager at Numatic International, said: “By investing in cutting-edge solar technology, we’re reducing our environmental footprint at the same time as protecting our manufacturing operations from rapidly rising energy costs.
“Part of our ‘Operation Cleansweep’ sustainability goals, the new micro-solar-park shows what can be achieved when you reimagine how you approach small spaces. It helps us on our journey as a responsible manufacturer and accelerates our progress towards achieving Net Zero by 2035."
The company's finance boss, Steve Whitlock, said the investment represented "a step forward" in Numatic's ability to meet its own energy needs. "[It will provide] a strong return on capital compared to other investments that we may have made," he said.
The 2,672 panels within the solar park are expected to meet around 20 per cent of Numatic's yearly on-site electricity demand, but could rise as high as 100 per cent on certain days. The company is hoping its park will be used as a blueprint for other manufacturers and says it will cut CO2 emissions by nearly 267 tonnes a year.
Gabriel Wondrausch, director at SunGift Solar, added: “Originally earmarked as a site for new manufacturing units, we calculated that by using highly efficient commercial versions of solar panels normally only used on domestic properties, we could transform a relatively small parcel of land into a hugely valuable solar asset for Numatic, capable of delivering a fifth of its annual energy needs."
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