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Nottingham Zinc Group

Background:

  • Nottingham Zinc Group (NZG) specialises in leading edge coating technology and is the largest independent alkaline zinc plating business in the UK
  • Founded in 1982, it is based at Lowmoor Business Park, in Kirkby in Ashfield. The group's facilities are used to assemble, store, and distribute products for clients, in readiness for direct delivery to them or their customers nationwide
  • NZG provides: powder coating, zinc electroplating, refurbishment and remanufacture, and design and supply services.

Challenges:

  • NZG is an intensive energy user and came to the end of its gas and electric contracts in 2021. The energy crisis from August 2021 meant that new contract prices had rocketed to 33% of its turnover and if something radical wasn’t done to offset the new costs, the business would not be sustainable
  • The way forward required NZG to find productivity gains, previously believed to be unachievable and, at the same time, extensive energy usage reductions. This would involve major capital investments and innovation.

Actions:

  • The Business Support team directed NZG to the University of Nottingham's Energy, Innovation and Collaboration department, which provided a consultancy report that identified recommendations to create several sustainability changes
  • These ideas were assessed against measures of cost, time to implement, and any projected benefits to formulate a suitable programme of change projects
  • NZG then approached the D2N2 Growth Hub team and was awarded a grant from the European Union fund. This was used to initiate the programme the company had identified. Specifically, to install a Decarbonator machine, new gas burners, software monitoring systems, automated control programmes, and heat insulation equipment between September 2022 and April 2023.

Outcome:

  • NZG has now successfully increased its productivity and quality standards. It is processing more goods ‘right first time’, which is resulting in greater capacity and better service for its customers
  • Energy consumption has also reduced by 40% and carbon emissions by 39%, giving added benefits to both the business and the environment
  • In addition to this, the refurbishment division of its business which repairs, recoats, and powder paints a vast range of steel products is now reaching out to new customers. This in turn will allow NZG to reuse its own products, offering a sustainability measure that will save money and precious natural resources to support customers with reducing their own carbon emissions and shortening supply chains.

Future:

  • NZG intends to further improve commercial operations assisted by Ashfield District Council's Business Support team. Plans are in place to become carbon neutral by 2030, increase capacity for customers to give their products new life through refurbishment, and to make further energy efficiency improvements by incorporating AI data analysis
  • In addition to this, new automated robotic material handling techniques, coupled with an ERP system, will further reduce costs and heighten quality.
  • Initiated by: Paul Stoppard, senior economic development officer, 11 December 2023
  • ADC Communications approved: Chris Stephenson, communications manager, 11 December 2023
  • Business Approved final copy: Jim Doran, consultant, NZG, 13 December 2023

Last updated: 15 February 2024