Food flavourings company reveals its multi-million pound Peterborough site will be eco-flagship

The food flavourings specialist, which operates in 160 countries, has announced the 93,000sq metres manufacturing site currently being built at Peterborough Gateway is set to be its first Net Zero Carbon Building.

And the hub, which will employ 300 people, will be a sustainable manufacturing blueprint for the company’s global supply chain.

The manufacturing centre, which is expected to be completed in July, will be net zero in construction and net zero in operation.

Chris Jinks, President EMEA, said: “We are delighted that our new Peterborough facility is on track to become a Net Zero Carbon Building and I would like to thank all of our colleagues and partners who have worked tirelessly to get us to this point.

“While acknowledging there is still much work to do to achieve our Net Zero ambitions at Peterborough, we are pleased with the progress we are making.

“This marks an important milestone in our sustainability journey.

“Our customers and consumers have been at the heart of our decision-making and we look forward to working with others to explore more ways to make a positive contribution to the world around us and reduce our reliance on the planet’s natural resources.”

Construction of the factory is being carried out under the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework to deliver Net Zero Carbon in both construction and operations.

It means construction has included new on-site concrete mixing capabilities and the use of low-carbon concrete to reduce carbon in the site’s foundations, ground and mezzanine floors and its external yard.

Construction will also reuse all 12,400m3 of excavated soil during the cut and fill process to avoid bringing in or removing earth.

The remaining construction-related carbon emissions at the site are being offset by its backing of the East Thrace Wind Power programme in Turkey and support for a longer-term UK reforestation project in the Lake District National Park.

Once operational, the factory’s electricity supply will come from a blend of renewable sources – wind, solar, water, thermal and anaerobic digestion.

It will reduce water use through the installation of trigger controls at hose points, water monitoring and measurement tools, and an air-line cleaning system.

The facility’s other Net Zero features include cutting-edge refrigeration to reduce energy loss, solar panels, and energy-efficient steam generators.

The company’s actions at the Peterborough site follow a pledge made by the company four years ago to a set of goals to benefit people, communities, and the planet by 2025.

McCormick says its actions at Peterborough will reduce the site’s construction carbon emissions by 30 per cent from an estimated 36,000 tCO2e (tonnes of carbon dioxide) to a current estimate of 25,000 tCO2e.

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