Sneeboer produces carbon neutral!

At the end of June 2020, we proudly announced that Sneeboer had taken a major step towards more sustainable production. Sustainability has been important to us for years, but we knew more was possible. We wanted to keep making high quality garden tools, but also take responsibility for the planet. This led to a large scale project in which we had solar panels installed on the roof of our building. An investment that, more than three years on, is now paying off.

Solar Panels: A Logical Choice

The choice for solar panels didn't come out of nowhere. Our annual energy consumption in 2020 was estimated at around 96,000 kWh. This set us thinking: how could we offset this energy consumption while also reducing our impact on the environment? After a thorough analysis, we decided that solar panels were the most efficient and sustainable solution. The installation of the panels went smoothly, and within a short time our entire roof was covered with these energy generators.

Carbon Neutral Within A Year

The results of our solar panel system didn't take long to show. On 7 June 2021, less than a year after installation, we had already generated as much energy as our annual consumption. This means that since that day, we have been producing entirely carbon neutral. For us, this was a milestone: it showed that sustainability isn't just a nice idea, but genuinely achievable. By now, our solar panels generate enough energy each year to support our entire production, without us depending on external energy sources.

Real-time data from Sneeboer's solar panels

What Does Carbon Neutral Production Mean?

Carbon neutral production means that the energy we use comes entirely from sustainable sources, in our case, the solar panels. This means not only that we don't need to draw electricity from the grid, but also that we have drastically reduced our CO2 emissions. For a company that works with metals and machinery every day, this is a huge achievement. It shows that sustainable production is possible even in a sector like ours.

A Broader Sustainability Policy

The use of solar panels is just one part of our broader sustainability policy. At Sneeboer, we look at every step of the production process to make it as environmentally friendly as possible. We try to keep material waste to a minimum and choose suppliers who share our vision on sustainability. We also continuously look for innovative ways to make our products even more sustainable, without compromising on quality.

Inspiring and Working Together

Our step towards carbon neutral production hasn't just helped us become more sustainable, it also inspires others in the sector. We regularly get questions from other companies wanting to know how we approached this. We're happy to share our experiences, because we believe that working together is essential to tackling the challenges of climate change. Together, we can make a bigger impact.

The Future: Sustainability Remains A Priority

Although we're proud of what we've achieved so far, we don't see this as an end point. Sustainability remains a key focus in how we run our business. We keep looking for ways to make our production even more efficient and environmentally friendly. Think of further energy savings, the use of recycled materials, and improving our logistics processes to reduce CO2 emissions.

We're also exploring the possibility of generating even more energy than we need ourselves. This way, we could contribute to the energy grid and help others become more sustainable too. We're also looking at implementing circular principles in our design and production process, so that our products can be easily recycled after a long service life.

Together For A Greener Future

As a family business, we believe that sustainability is not only a responsibility for the present, but also for future generations. Our carbon neutral production is an important step, but we remain committed to a greener and healthier planet. We invite everyone to walk this path with us, whether you're a garden enthusiast, business partner or colleague. At Sneeboer, we believe every small step contributes to a bigger change.

Would you like to know more about our sustainable initiatives or how we produce carbon neutral? Feel free to get in touch with us. Together, we can make a difference!