SPONSORED BY WESTRAY RECRUITMENT
GREEN INNOVATION AWARD
FINALIST LIONWELD KENNEDY
Since 2020 , Middlesbrough-based Lionweld Kennedy – which manufactures , fabricates and installs steel and composite flooring , handrails , stair treads and access solutions for industries – has committed more than £ 500,000 to its carbon-reduction programme and slashed greenhouse gas emissions by 92 per cent , reaching its long-term net zero target for 2040 in only three years .
In 2023 , it also obtained an Environmental Product Declaration for its Safegrid flooring and tread products , making it the only grating manufacturer globally to carry this accreditation .
The best - Stuff4Life Workwear founder Josh Twitchen received the Green Innovation Award from Ashleigh Wright , MD of category sponsor Westray Recruitment .
WINNER
STUFF4LIFE WORKWEAR
The Green Innovation category winner says his firm is poised for some exciting next steps – but has no plans to move from Teesside .
Stuff4Life Workwear picked up the Green Innovation and Innovation awards at the ceremony for its patent-pending technique for recycling polyester .
And Stuff4Life Workwear founder and director Josh Twitchen admitted he was “ blown away ” by picking up the Green award .
Summarising his firm ’ s journey so far , he explained : “ The idea came from a friend of mine who had a sportswear clothing company . I said , ‘ It ’ s great you ’ re making the clothes better , but when they ’ re dead , they ’ re the same dead . What about recycling them at the end of life ? It can ’ t be that hard ’.
“ It turns out it is actually quite hard ! But we ’ ve got there , we ’ ve got patent pending , we ’ ve got the technology and now we ’ re upscaling .” And he confirmed the plan is to stay where the expertise is – on Teesside . He said : “ The next step is a big one , but the plan is to do it here because all the chemistry , knowledge and expertise is here – some of the guys might be 60 , 70 or even 80 but they still have that knowledge , and we really need it .
“ At the moment , it ’ s just the two founders plus advisors and supporters , but the next step is the big scale-up .
“ We ’ ve been working with the likes of CPI at Wilton and Teesside University , so it ’ s just the best place in the world to do this .”
SPONSOR ’ S REFLECTIONS :
Ashleigh Wright , managing director , Westray Recruitment Group “ Stuff4Life Workwear is a fabulous company that is definitely putting innovation at the forefront of what it does . We were absolutely thrilled to present them with the award and are very much looking forward to seeing their growth over the coming years .”
FINALIST PD PORTS
Aiming to be the UK ’ s most sustainable port , PD Ports wants its Tees-based landside operations carbon neutral by 2027 – an ambitious target that ’ s seen the firm look at every aspect of its operations , but one that ’ s on track through investment , innovation and partnership working .
The plan includes a switch from fossil fuels , reducing energy usage of equipment , introducing low or zero carbon fuels and establishing regenerative power , including solar panels and wind turbines . So far , CO2 emissions are already back to levels last seen in 2000 .
FINALIST X-HEAT
Middlesbrough-based X-Heat ’ s commercial space heating solutions are designed and developed on Teesside . Its main successes so far have been the patent-approved Nanno Heater and a mobile version , the Pitco heater , both of which use natural gas / LPG and can not only reduce gas consumption by up to 50 per cent but are future-proofed because they are hydrogen-ready .
Reducing carbon emissions by 90 per cent and eliminating nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide , the heaters already help clients meet their net zero requirements – and further products are in development .
2023 winner : Scott Bros
142 | Tees Business