Earlier this year Etex Australia, the local manufacturer of Siniat products, celebrated a major milestone in their sustainability journey by “flicking the switch” to solar energy at their Altona plant in Victoria.
The completion of the Altona project is a significant milestone in the company’s strategy to reduce emissions during the production process of their products.
“We are always actively looking at ways to reduce our emissions during the manufacturing process” explains Kathryn Walker, Etex Regional EHS & Sustainability Manager (APAC). “It is a key strategy in reducing the environmental impact of our operations and lowering the embodied carbon of our products.
“Reducing emissions is also requirement of the Climate Active certification we have on a range of locally made opted-in plasterboard and metal products. Under the Siniat Opt2Act carbon neutral program, customers can choose to opt-in for carbon neutral product. The specific products opted-in are certified by Climate Active as Carbon Neutral.
“The solar plant supports our decarbonization strategy, which is also one of the five pillars of the Etex Road to Sustainability 2030.’’
The Altona solar system was designed to reduce the use of fossil-fueled electricity grid power at the plant by approximately 20%. The 1.45 MW system consists of more than 3,000 solar panels that cover approximately 80% of the Altona factory roof space. Siniat plasterboard and compound products are manufactured at the Altona plant.
The investment is expected to reduce the Altona site’s carbon footprint by over 1,700t CO2-e per annum or roughly 6% of Altona’s gate-to-gate emissions.
In May the company celebrated the completion of the Altona project by hosting an event that was attended by The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for Energy & Resources in the Victorian Parliament; Melissa Horne, MP for Williamstown and senior members of the Etex Group leadership team, including Etex CEO Bernard Delvaux.
Several members of the Etex Australia leadership team and local teammates also shared in the moment the solar system was officially turned on.
In her speech, Minister D’Ambrosio commended the Etex Group for their investment into the project, saying that the Government supports and encourages businesses that are passionate about sustainability.
Etex CEO Bernard Delvaux said the Etex Road to Sustainability 2030 is a key priority for the Etex Group. The Road to Sustainability 2030 is a global roadmap for the company that sets clear ambitions across these five priority areas: health, safety and well-being, customer engagement, diversity, equity and inclusion, decarbonisation and circularity.
Gavin Burton, Regional Manager (APAC) of the Etex Building Performance division, announced at the ceremony that the Etex Australia has been given the green light to investigate the installation of a solar system of similar scope and size at the Matraville plant in NSW.
