Fowlers Go Green

Fowlers Parts, the Bristol-based motorcycle spares distributor, is launching a major initiative to reduce the environmental impact of packaging.

Fowlers supplies genuine motorcycle parts from 13 different manufacturers, carrying over 100,000 lines in stock and sending out hundreds of parcels every day, so even small changes make a significant impact on the amount of waste created. Incredibly, Fowlers has been able to convert almost all key packaging materials to recyclable or biodegradable versions.

Envelopes lined with plastic bubble-wrap will be replaced with 100% recyclable paper-filled versions, plastic packing tape is being substituted with recyclable paper Ecotape, and all plastic air pillows will be biodegradable in future.

Heavyweight plastic banding – for which there is currently no alternative – will only be used for heavy parcels, reducing usage by over 90%.

Fowlers is looking into replacing Shrink Wrap with reusable Pallet Wrapz – an eco-friendly reusable alternative to plastic stretch film – except where specifically required by customer, reducing usage by more than 95%. This could save up to a tonne of shrink wrap per year, which would stretch for 90 miles, the distance from Bristol to Birmingham!

Warren Lane, Assistant Warehouse Manager, is spearheading the drive and reports an unexpected benefit of going green:

“We’d gone into the matter believing we would be financially worse off by implementing the policy, and were aiming to find out by how much we’d be out of pocket. Having done all our calculations, we were amazed to discover that going over to more eco-friendly packaging was going to actually save us money overall. Our findings were a pleasant surprise. For example, the savings we make minimising the usage of banding and shrink-wrap will offset the higher price of the recyclable paper-filled envelopes.”

Currently, the business is also investigating the best way to deal with food waste, and is converting to low energy LED lighting throughout their premises.

Joint Managing Director Stephanie Fowler is passionate about “being kind to our beautiful planet Earth” and hopes that other motorcycle wholesalers and mail-order retailers will be inspired to follow Fowlers’ lead.

You can find out more by calling Fowlers on 0117 977 8899 or visit  www.fowlersparts.co.uk.