Impact flicks switch on expanded solar farm

Impact International has flicked the switch and turned on its upgraded 400kW solar farm, adding some 123 more solar panels to the roof of its factory in Western Sydney.  

The investment in the new panels has been part of a sustainable action plan that has seen Impact buying its own forest to offset its carbon usage in its materials, with the two initiatives forming part of its pioneering approach to sustainable manufacturing.

The solar panels now provide 400kW of power, up from 290kW. They provide around a third of the power needed by the company, supplying an average 1.5 megawatts a day.

Aleks Lajovic, managing director of the multi-award winning business says, “We are the only tube manufacturer in the world to generate our own green electricity, and to offset the carbon emissions of our supply chain via our own forestry infrastructure.

"Our manufacturing is growing, and we wanted to ensure our solar power kept pace at the same percentage, hence the upgrade. We can't run entirely solar as we are a 24-hour factory."

The solar farm generates enough electricity to run 125 Australian homes. Maximilian Stenning and Smart Commercial Solar handled the project, on time and on budget.

Impact’s forest – an agroforestry Pinus radiate plantation of 20,000 trees, and another 1300 Australian native trees – is located 40 minutes drive from Canberra and less than three hours from Impact International’s Smithfield, NSW headquarters.

Lajovic said, “Based on a standard extruded plastic tube that holds 100ml of product, the Impact International forest can offset the raw materials used to manufacture approximately 30 million 100ml tubes each year.”

“The Impact International forest is being used for wildlife protection and rehabilitation, as well as to reducing the carbon footprint of our customers’ packaging and supply chain. Customers who are participating in our sustainable forest programme have access to the most sustainable tubes available in the world, plus are helping to protect native Australian wildlife.”

"As a family-owned and operated business that has been in Australia for 62 years, Impact International takes it environmental credentials seriously," Lajovic tells Print21. "The company already has a large solar farm, so the factory generates its own energy. Any energy that Impact International cannot generate is purchased and is carbon neutral. Tubes are also manufactured using sugar cane-derived plastic (a renewable resource) and recycled plastic, which is helping to tackle Australia’s recycling crisis.”