At a Glance

2010 ET-CP-19

Project Description

Jack Cuthberts bakery has been baking

many different types of handmade
bread for many years in Cork.
The company has made significant
environmental savings as a result of
participating in the EPA CGPP
programme.

Logistics optimisation and energy

optimisation for Jack Cuthberts
bakery

The CGPP team at Jack Cuthberts

bakery had a number of proposals that
were considered. Energy, waste and
water bills were analysed by the green
team and a number of opportunities
were identified where potential saving
could be achieved.
Water Minimisation

The main area of focus included energy

reduction, waste minimisation, water
conservation and logistics optimisation.
Savings in excess of 47,000 was
achieved based on environmental
improvements.
Energy savings
0.03kw of electricity saved per unit
of bread produced.
18.5% reduction in electricity
consumption between 2010 and
2011.
Logistics optimisation
100 per week was saved on depot
rental.
31,000 per annum on driver costs.
One lorry eliminated off the road.
9600 per annum on diesel
13.48 tonnes of CO2 per annum.

Jack Cuthberts Bakery,

Unit 9 Owenacurra Business Park,
Midleton,
Co Cork
Ireland.

The
main
source
of
water
consumption within the facility was
toilet facilities and washing of
vehicles. Three rain water harvesters
were installed. This has displaced
3
433m of water per annum.
Energy Management

Jack Cuthberts bakery has been baking

many different types of handmade
bread such as Artisanal breads,
traditional Irish breads, French breads,
Polish breads and health breads, for
many years in Cork. The company
currently employs 25 people at its base
in Midleton, Co. Cork.

A comprehensive energy survey was

carried out in order to provide
detailed knowledge of the electrical
load for the factory. Below is the
breakdown
of
the
electricity
consumption within the factory.

Aim of this project

The main aims of the project were:

Waste savings
24 tonnes of waste diverted away
from landfill annually.
New products developed from
unused dough.
Water minimisation
3
Reduction of 433m of water per
annum.
Increased staff awareness and
involvement in on-going environmental
improvements within the day to day
operations of the company,
underpinned much of the projects
success.

1.

To reduce water consumption

throughout the facility.

2.

To reduce energy consumption

through analysing, monitoring and
measuring.

3.

To reduce bakery waste through

new product development and
enhanced recycling.

4.

To review transport logistics to

reduce CO2 emissions.

The freezer accounts for 22.5% of the

overall electricity consumption. The
freezer was switched off in August as a
result of CGPP project, as it was not
required to run, and resulted in a
significant
drop
in
electricity
consumption.

Due to this there has been a significant

saving both environmentally and
financially. The freezer accounts for
56397 kWh which equates to 32805kg
of CO2 or 6767 per annum.
The graph below illustrates the
electricity usage between 2010 and
2011.

Logistic optimisation
At the start of the project a lorry was
delivering bread from Midleton to a
depot in Cork city. The green team
reviewed potential saving initiatives
under logistics optimisation. Under
these initiatives the customer now
collects the products from Midleton.
The savings are as follows:
1200 per annum was saved on depot
rental.
31,000 per annum saved on drivers
salary.
One lorry eliminated of the road.
9600 per annum on diesel
13.48 tonnes of CO2 per annum

The diagram below illustrates the cost

per kW to produce one unit of bread. In
January before efficiency measures
were in place it was costing 0.12kw/unit
compared to 0.09kw/unit in September,
after CGPP principles were employed .
This is an average saving of 700 per
month when January and September
were compared with the same amount
of units sold. This is illustrated below.

Lessons Learned
A number of lessons were learned
during the CGPP project.
Incorporating reuse of material into
new product development.
Training staff on environmental
awareness, is very beneficial.
Engagement with all staff on new
saving opportunities.
More Information
For more information on this project
please contact:

The
Cleaner
Greener
Production
Programme (CGPP) of the EPA is funded
under the National Development Plan
2007-2013. The CGPP was launched in
2001 as a grant scheme to fund Irish
organisations to implement cleaner
greener
practices
while
achieving
significant cost savings.
Cleaner Greener Production is the
application of integrated preventive
environmental strategies to processes,
products and services to increase overall
efficiency and reduce risks to humans and
the environment.
Production processes: conserving raw
materials and energy, eliminating toxic
raw materials, and reducing the
quantity and toxicity of all emissions
and wastes
Products: reducing negative impacts
along the life cycle of a product, from
raw materials extraction to its ultimate
disposal.
Services: incorporating environmental
concerns into designing and delivering
services.
The programme aims are focussed on
avoiding
and
preventing
adverse
environmental impact rather than treating
or cleaning up afterwards. This approach
brings better economic and environmental
efficiency.
The CGPP is funded by the EPA STRIVE and
NWPP programmes

Jack Cuthbert
Waste Optimisation
At the start of the CGPP project all
waste was going to landfill. The skip
was costing an average of 560 per
month to be removed.
Food surplus management techniques
were implemented and surplus bread
and dough were segregated.

Jack Cuthberts Bakery

Unit 9, Owenacurra Business Park,
Midleton,
Co Cork
Ireland
Tel: 021 4634181
Email: jack@jackcuthbertsbakery.ie.

Additional case studies from companies

that participated in CGPP are available on
our website (www.cleanerproduction.ie),
including:
Programme brochures, summarising
all projects funded under CGPP
More information on CGPP is available
from the EPA:
Lisa Sheils

From this surplus 2 new products were

developed. 55kg of surplus bread per
month is now converted into stuffing.
The stuffing is now sold for 3.60
per kg. Before CGPP it was costing the
company 0.15 per kg going to landfill.
An average of 24 tonnes has been
diverted away from landfill per annum
with a savings of 3840.

Environmental Protection Agency,

Richview, Clonskeagh,
Dublin 14, Ireland
Tel: +353 (0)1 2680100
http://www.epa.ie/researchandeducation/research