­Environment

In 2007 Whirlwind Print attained ISO standard 14001:2004 (environmental) for its process systems in both manufacturing and administration – one of only a handful of existing print companies that offer green printing services and hold this ­standard today.

Our commitment to the environment is demonstrated by:

• Our active steps taken to be carbon neutral by 2012
• We recycle 100% of our aluminium plates, at least 95% of all cardboard, computers, monitors, glass, ink tins, paper, plastic containers and drink bottles, polythene packaging and timber pallets. In paper alone, this amounts to 33 tonnes a week, approximately.
• Paper wastage is further reduced by providing an online proofing system and optimising paper area use with Metrix software. Our gang printing technique not only reduces paper wastage, it is also an efficient use of energy.
• Our laminator has been modified to operate with completely recycled water saving 42,000 litres of water a year.
• Water saving technology has also been fitted to our CTP machinery, which should reduce water requirements by 97%
• Our production process includes 100% use of computer plate technology, which means no film and no silver chemicals.
• 100% of the CMYK inks we use are based on a mixture of soy and linseed vegetable oils (excludes metallics).
• We procure our paper from suppliers with environmentally focused ethics and from sustainable forest material.
• Our paper stocks are bleached using Elemental Chlorine Free (EFC) technology and we also offer a range of 100% recycled and 80% recycled paper stocks to our clients.
• Our printing process operates alcohol-free.
• All our cardboard packaging is 100% recycled board.
• We fitted our new manufacturing facilities at Knoxfield, with environmentally-friendly flooring and work surfaces and recycled materials.
• Our 5 colour Komori press can apply aqueous varnish to a job - a more environmentally friendly coating which is more easily recycled than laminated products.
  

As you can see, at Whirlwind Print we’re committed to reducing our footprint and continue to evolve and develop our processes to help protect our planet.