The Omega purpose-built factory works with an extraction system which removes dust and small debris produced by the machinery through a series of fans and then travels out of the 400,000 square foot factory through hundreds of meters of pipes to waiting trailers which collect the material and send it to be repurposed into animal bedding.

Traditionally this process would use considerable energy.  However, with the introduction of the first Ecogate in 2021 substantially less power was used to run fans in areas of the factory that were not in use.  This initial step saved 200,000 kilowatt-hours per year a 5% reduction in energy use. 

Omega PLC purchasing & operations director Alastair England explains, “The recent installation of the second Ecogate takes this one step further by allowing the extraction system to be completely switched off in areas of the factory not being used, which is extremely valuable when different areas of the manufacturing process run different shift times. This second Ecogate saves 400,000 kilowatt-hours per year and, when both Ecogates are combined, equates to a 15% reduction in energy use which represents a significant energy saving for a large factory.”

The Ecogate system is part of the wider Omega strategy to bring down CO2 emissions across the business.  The warehouse and office buildings were designed and built with integrated solar panels and traditional electric lights were replaced with LED lighting.  There is continued investment in a greener and more fuel- efficient ECO6 lorry fleet which uses the latest technology to convert dangerous emissions into harmless ones whilst delivering across the UK.  All company vehicles are moving to hybrid or fully electric and this has been supported by fitting onsite electric vehicle charging bays available for staff and visitors. 

Omega PLC CEO Simon Barber says, “Within Omega, we have continued to make ongoing day-to-day changes and develop initiatives throughout the organization that can aid the corporate social responsibility and the long-term impact on the planet.”