Crystal Doors is a small Rochdale-based manufacturing company that supplies bespoke doors to the public and private sector.
In 2015, Crystal Doors set out to prove that even the smallest company can make a contribution to environmental protection.
Crystal Doors has since achieved a host of green business awards, including the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development in 2021. As an SME Climate Hub committed business, it is now a national leader in net zero manufacturing.
We contacted Richard Hagan, owner and Managing Director of Crystal Doors, to find out more about his company’s net zero journey, and how improving energy efficiency has been central to their achievements.
Setting off on Crystal Doors’ net zero journey
Crystal Doors’ net zero journey started in 2015, when their plan to install a biomass burner to heat their factory and offices was refused planning permission. They had no choice but to appeal or lose a 20-year-old business with a £3m turnover.
At that time, they were also under serious competition from large companies, so it became a matter of survival to make significant improvements to their factory and fleet.
Both of these factors helped convince Richard Hagan that it was the best time to invest in sustainability strategies that could save Crystal Doors money and secure the business’s future.
Crystal Doors worked with Manchester’s Business Growth Hub to turn things around. An energy audit identified 26 energy-saving measures they could take. The penny dropped for Crystal Doors and they started on their net zero journey.
Years down the line, Crystal Doors have found that their net zero efforts have improved:
- brand recognition as their green credentials make them an example of best practice
- sales growth, as customers and suppliers choose to make environmentally conscious purchases
- increased operational efficiency with smart autonomous machinery and the application of energy-efficient technology
- their ability to compete swiftly and efficiently with large competitors due to their investment in new digital technologies
- staff wellbeing and participation in further sustainable growth as an employee-owned business
Richard Hagan, Crystal Doors owner and Managing Director
“As a small company with less than 50 employees, we had the speed and autonomy to go greener faster. The UK has lots of little companies like us who are very nimble and quick to see opportunities rather than the threats. Our experience shows that you don’t need a big pot of money to do it, and in return for taking action, you can become more efficient, more resilient, more innovative, and a better company to work for.”
Making quick improvements to Crystal Doors’ factory
Crystal Doors started with ‘quick wins’ in energy efficiency, such as:
- fixing leaks in the compressed air system, saving £2,000 a year
- installing 100% LED lighting with intelligent sensors saving £1,000 a year
- replacing vane vacuum pumps with claw pumps, saving £1,000 a year
They also borrowed £500,000 to install a purpose-built 980kW Ranheat biomass burner. The biomass burner uses factory wood waste to provide 100% of their heating and hot water.
The biomass burner is their biggest cost to date, but they paid back the loan in 6 years. It saves around £60,000 a year through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme, and keeps moisture levels low to protect products from temperature variations.
Investing in digital technologies to improve production
Crystal Doors received nearly £18,000 in funds from Made Starter between 2020 and 2021. This funding supported a digital transformation project and a digital technology project which included:
- IoT
- data analytics
- cloud computing
- automation
- machine learning
- Radio-frequency identification (RFID)
- automated messaging
- predictive maintenance
Investments to become a smart factory also included:
1. An Ecogate dust extraction system which continuously monitors and controls the air, using self-learning AI to optimise fan speeds for each machine on the factory floor. Crystal Doors call this the brain of their factory.
The dust extraction system has cut energy consumption by up to 72%, compared to the 2015 baseline assessment, saving around £12,600 a year.
Crystal Doors’ smart dust extraction system
2. A power factor correction and harmonics unit to improve the quality of power coming onto site. It has reduced energy load and saves around £4,000 a year.
3. VSD inverter compressors which run at controlled speeds to match demand, saving around £2,000 a year compared to previous compressor costs.
4. A carbon dashboard which makes data analytics available so they can analyse not only their factory efficiency but also their carbon impact in real-time.
“So far, we’ve invested £2 million in energy efficiency, renewable energy and smart technologies. This outlay may sound significant, but most of our investments are actually cashflow neutral or cashflow positive. We use our energy savings to cover loan repayments.”
Contracting renewable energy to get to net zero
Crystal Doors installed 640 solar panels on the roof with 246kW generating capacity with a cashflow neutral loan over 6 years. At the time, the interest rates were about 3.5 % per annum. Today all major banks offer a better rate of interest for solar panels and carbon reduction investment.
Installation costs were £156,000 and Crystal Doors now earns or saves around £45k (depending on sunlight) each year. The solar panels paid off in 3 years and extra rates no longer apply. Crystal Doors now produces three times more energy on-site than it imports from the grid.
Generating your own energy also helps them with financial forecasting and de-risks a large proportion of their energy supply.
As a firm supporter of solar power, Richard Hagan encourages UK businesses to revisit or review renewable energy and battery storage. He estimates that there are over 1200 business roofs to gain financially from solar energy in Greater Manchester alone.
In 2022, Crystal Doors also started purchasing 100% through SSE Energy Solutions. SSE Energy Solutions supply renewable electricity from their own UK hydro plants and wind farms.
Crystal Doors also generates income through the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) and Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) schemes.
“We’re now one of just 500 commercial buildings to be certified ‘carbon positive’ in the UK.”
Crystal Doors’ building has risen from an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D in 2015, to A+.
Energy intensity by turnover has dropped by 30% and is 75% lower than if they had made no improvements over the last 9 years.
Getting to net zero waste
Crystal Doors has a zero waste to landfill status, verified by the sustainable waste management company, Biffa.
Crystal Doors burn 95% of waste by weight on site in its biomass burner to become heat. The remaining 4% is vinyl waste, which is taken away to be recycled, and skips which have proportionally 1% of waste by weight.
Crystal Doors produces doors that are vinyl coated. This is their second largest raw material and is currently non-recyclable.
They are taking steps to reduce vinyl waste by:
- recycling excess vinyl into other PVC products
- a Wemhone vinyl press that minimises vinyl waste by around 30%
Other steps towards net zero waste include:
- recycling 100% of their cardboard and plastic
- using Bonlex foil made from recycled consumer waste PET (they were the first company in the UK to do this)
- applying adhesive with a 3D scanning robotic spray system for minimal to no wastage
Changing transport and travel habits
Transport is responsible for most of their Scope 1 emissions and accounts for 26.5% of their Scope 1 & 2 footprint. Crystal Doors now has two electric cars and three EV charging points.
Crystal Doors’ employees also choose to walk or cycle to work, as most staff live within 3 miles of their factory.
They’ve also banned flying on business.
Making a public commitment to net zero
Crystal Doors became a B-Corp business in 2023 with one of the highest scores in the country and by far the highest within the manufacturing sector.
They also achieved the Planet Mark Business Certification.
They have been inspired and supported by The Growth Company, and Green Economy, and are a proud member of the SME Climate Hub.
You can find their latest sustainability reports (PDF) on their website.
Planning for a net zero future
Crystal Doors’ roadmap sets out these goals to:
- reach net zero across Scopes 1 and 2 by 2030
- cut Scope 3 emissions by 42% by 2030
- reach net zero across their operation before 2050
They are currently investigating new recyclable, reusable and reconfigurable circular economy products. This includes research into using recycled bottles to manufacture door vinyl.
They’re also working towards a net zero future by:
- working with suppliers to identify and develop lower environmental impact materials
- partnering with companies that can demonstrate sustainability and environmental resilience
- planning to offer all stakeholders training in carbon reduction action plans and reporting
- helping to spread the word on how important it is for businesses to address efficiency and management of electricity in their portfolio of energy sources
“We’re making an impact way beyond our size. We’re proof that a lack of funds is no barrier to net zero.”
Crystal Doors is a proud member of the SME Climate Hub, the global initiative of the UK Business Climate Hub. Join businesses like Crystal Doors and commit to reaching net zero through the SME Climate Hub, the global initiative of the UK Business Climate Hub.
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