About the Big Swap

For this year's Fairtrade Fortnight we're asking you to join us in The Big Swap. For two whole weeks we'll be asking you to swap your usual cuppa for a Fairtrade cuppa.

Changing the world one swap at a time

Swapping your usual stuff for Fairtrade stuff is a brilliantly small step to making the world a fairer place. It means that you get to show your support for developing world producers through what you buy. Two billion people - a third of humanity - survive on less than $2 a day. Unfair trade rules keep them in poverty, but they face the global challenges of food shortages and climate change too.

Fairtrade believes that developing world producers should be in control of their own lives, by getting a better deal for the work that they do. This is a different way of doing business. It's a way that puts the poorest of the world first.

Ace supporting The Big Swap

During the fortnight we will be launching special offers and incentives to help you swap to Fairtrade Tea and Coffee, So keep your eyes open and check back regularly to see whats on offer! 

 

For further information on The Big Swap take a look at the Fairtrade Foundation website,

http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/thebigswap/

Christmas Message

As we approach the end of 2009 on behalf of the entire team here at Ace Office Supplies I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support during the year. 2009 has been a difficult year for so many of us and in common with many of our clients we have had to bid farewell to some good members of the Ace team. In common with many of you this has been a difficult decision and I would personally like to wish anyone that has been afffected by redundancy this year the very best for the future. I sincerely hope that 2010 is a better year for you.

Despite the difficulties that we have all faced this year, here at Ace we have been working hard to look positively to the future. As I write this, world leaders are converging on Copenhagen for the climate summit. Regardless of whether or not the world leaders can agree to any meaningful course of action, we have been working hard to reduce the impact of our business on the environment this year. The difficult trading conditions have meant that we have had time to think about and take action on a number of initiatives across the year and I'd like to share some of the details with you.

• Low energy lighting has been installed throughout our head quarters building utilising a loan from the Carbon Trust. This is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by in excess of 24t per annum.
• We are currently waiting for delivery and installation of equipment that should reduce our gas consumption by between 10% and 20%, generating a reduction in CO2 of over 6t per annum.
• Window Film has also been installed to enhance the effect of the lighting and heating changes.
• A project is currently underway investigating the viability of replacing our existing air conditioning units and wet heating system with a combined air heating and cooling solution, again it is expected that this will be achieved by utilising a loan from the Carbon Trust.
• Our kitchens and washrooms are now chemical free having implemented solutions based around products that we sell and our gents urinals are water free using our Eco Cube microbial cleaner. This means that our waste water has reduced massively and is not tainted with chemicals.
• Smaller energy savings have also been achieved through a variety of measures including putting water heaters in the kitchens on to seven day time clocks.
• We have switched large numbers of clients from paper invoices and statements to pdf documents delivered via email. If you don't receive your documents from us in this way please let us have your email details and we will be pleased to switch you to this solution.
• We are currently in discussion with a potential partner to install Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on our roof to support the Government lead initiative to increase the use of this technology for power generation. Energy generated in this way will be fed in to the National Grid. This means that our otherwise unused roof space will be making a positive contribution to CO2 reduction.
• Waste reduction has been a significant objective for us in 2009. Wherever possible we reuse packaging, this includes the recovery and reuse of infill packaging.
• We have been working in collaboration with Castlepoint Shopping Centre to recycle cardboard waste. Cardboard and plastic waste generated by ACE or recovered from clients is consolidated with the waste generated by stores such as M&S, Asda and Boots. The consolidated load is then collected and sent to a suitable recycling facility.
• Wooden pallets that cannot be reused are sent by us to Eco Composting at Parley and turned in to either compost or bark chippings.
• Our remaining waste goes in to a single waste skip. When emptied the content is taken to a processing facility where it is sorted and the vast majority sent for recycling. Only a very tiny proportion ends up in land fill.
• Our collection and recycling service for used toners and inkjets is now used by more of you than ever before.
• Clearly our delivery vehicles are a major source of CO2. In 2009 we replaced one third of our van fleet. This has meant the introduction of vehicles with newer more efficient engines.
• We carry out ongoing reviews of our van routes to ensure we reduce mileages where possible. This has included adopting the use of third party carriers, in particular Parcel Force, for delivery to some of the more remote locations we service such as parts of North West Dorset that are predominantly Farming regions. This solution allows us to reduce our mileage and also provides an enhanced service in the eyes of many of our clients in these areas - they only have to be available to take delivery from the one carrier rather than having an additional interruption from an ACE delivery, a real win-win.
• Fuel reduction technology has been implemented on our delivery vans and has demonstrated improvements in fuel efficiency of about 10% providing a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.
• Our Field Sales force have all been equipped with IT equipment that enables them to access our office systems remotely. This home working  technology has avoided unnecessary journeys in to the office, again reducing CO2 emissions.
• We continue to develop our portfolio of products that have strong environmental criteria. We were pioneers in the introduction of fair-trade tea and coffee to the workplace and have championed the introduction of chemical free solutions for the kitchen and washroom. Notably this includes the Eco Cube waterless urinal system and Green Planet Solutions products that carry the "Eco Flower" accreditation.
• Paper supplied by ACE is FSC "Forest Stewardship Council" accredited and our best selling Initiative paper will go carbon neutral in 2010.
• We offer a wide range of remanufactured toners and inkjets and a variety of products that contain recycled content. Some of these products are actively marketed by the manufacturer as "recycled" whilst others prefer a more low key approach and simply use a proportion of recycled material in their product simply because it is the right thing to do.

I hope you have found this insight in to what we have been doing in our business this year informative. I sincerely believe that we have used our slack time well this year and that we have prepared ourselves for a more sustainable future. Personally I prefer the idea of a white Christmas, but with all that we have achieved this year perhaps I should be wishing you a green Christmas!

On behalf of all of us at Ace, may I wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010

Adrian

Adrian Carter, Managing Director

COP15 Copenhagen's United Nation climate change conference will get underway on the 7th December and HAG, a leading office furniture manufacturer will be leading the way with their Futu chair. No less than 97% of the chair is recyclable and 50% of the chairs plastic components already comprise recycled materials. The manufacturing process neither uses environment-unfriendly chromium-plating or glue and only seven different materials make up the finished chair, therefore making it almost 100% recyclable which is why HAG Futu was chosen as the climate conference's office chair.

As early as 1991 HAG was one of the first chair manufacturers to focus on the environmental policy and in 2004 HAG was the first manufacturer of office furniture in the world to achieve ISO 14025-EPD environmental certification for all its products. For more details on the HAG range please contact us on 01202 240000 and speak to our dedicated furniture department.

 

Ace Office Supplies is now a provider of a comprehensive range of safetywear. Available online this is your ideal one stop shop for all your safetywear requirements. Everything from protective clothing, footwear and hard hats to first aid kits and goggles. A huge range of products are available to buy online today, just visit our dedicated website www.ace-safetywear.co.uk

We can also personalise your order with your company logo and details. What better way to market yourselves during these tough times, making sure you get the most from your protective work wear.

Our informative new website will provide you with product information, prices and much more. If you require a bulk quotation please contact us for a special quote. Remember, if you can't find what you're looking for, just pick up the phone and ask us! To place an order online or for more information, please visit www.ace-safetywear.co.uk or call us on 01202 240004, we will be happy to help.