Zest described Glee as “a fabulous show with loads of visitors on the stand to see all this season’s new products”, and it utilised the event to update the trade on its sustainable operations, manufacture, and transportation initiatives.
Product and packaging
The wooden garden furniture, outdoor structures and GYO specialist uses responsibly sourced, sustainable, PEFC certified (PEFC/16-37-1490) timber. The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an assurance mechanism to purchasers that they are supporting sustainable forest management. Together with its main supply partners, Zest is dedicated to re-planting trees, nurturing woodland habitat and collaborating on a 10,000-acre replanting initiative in the Lipusz forest, Poland. Zest is also a member of the NWWT (North Wales Wildlife Trust) working on initiatives, including the Woodlands for Water Project.
Operations
Zest repairs and recycles non-standard pallets in the UK into new ‘treesaver’ pallets and all off-cuts and waste timber goes to fueling the company’s biomass boilers. Every suitable roof has solar panels installed producing even more green power for the business and rainwater is reused wherever possible.
Transportation
Zest is also improving transportation sustainability, ensuring all loads are optimised to reduce the number of overall miles of road freight, and therefore minimise emissions. Since January 2023 the average wagon load fill has increased significantly resulting in fewer wagons on the roads delivering an increased amount of Zest products. This was thanks to a combination of:
- DFMA (design for manufacturing and assembly) principles to ensure the maximum number of products on a load
- Using the most space-efficient packing configurations
- ‘Smart’ routing plans and more delivery points per trip.
For further information about Zest’s GYO, decorative and furniture products, visit www.zestoutdoorliving.co.uk or email sales@zestoutdoorliving.co.uk
