Bodycote, the provider of precision heat treatment and specialist thermal processing services, has announced that two of its UK facilities – which specialise in heat treating turbine blades for Rolls-Royce jet engines – are now operating with zero carbon emissions.

The Derby and Rotherham plants are now fully electric with 100% of the electricity covered by renewable energy sources.

Jim Fairbairn, CEO of Bodycote said, “Our customers, many with ambitious 2030 targets, are looking for suppliers who can support their decarbonisation efforts. Recently, a customer with a 90% carbon reduction goal came to us because of the impact offered by our lower-carbon thermal processing. These are real demands, and the clock is ticking.

“For Bodycote, leading in this space is not only the right thing for the planet, but also the right thing for our global business. As well as the progress made in Derby and Rotherham, we are running pilot decarbonisation projects across Europe and North America.”

Supporting the UK Government’s Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, Bodycote’s transition to zero emissions is achieved through investment in industrial heat electrification, energy-efficiency and renewable energy sourcing. A new closed circuit adiabatic cooling system was recently introduced at the Derby plant which is located alongside the Rolls Royce site. Replacing evaporative cooling towers, this innovative installation provides electricity consumption savings (as well as peak electrical load and associated carbon emissions) of 73% as well as a reduction in water use of over 85%, whilst also avoiding the need for chemical dosing and cleaning.

Larissa Lee-Favier, SVP Sustainability, Rolls-Royce, said, “We congratulate Bodycote on achieving heat treatment operations with zero emissions. We encourage all our partners and suppliers to take action to make the operations and activities they can influence sustainable. Bodycote’s achievement sets a strong and commendable example for the industry.”

As the first and only major heat treatment company with a near-term carbon reduction target verified by the Science Based Targets initiative, the business is committed to measurable progress. Its Derby and Rotherham plants now serve as blueprint sites for a global decarbonisation programme, with the next zero-emission site set to be announced in the coming months.

Baggy Shanker, Member of Parliament for Derby South and former Rolls-Royce engineer, visited the Derby site with Mr Fairbairn, meeting the team responsible for the transformation and day-to-day operations.

He added, “It’s fantastic to see such a milestone achieved here in Derby. I often hear that achieving zero emissions is too difficult or costly, so it’s refreshing to see the drive behind Bodycote’s commitment to reaching this goal at the Derby and Rotherham facilities. It’s a shining example of how industry can lead the way in building a sustainable future, setting a precedent for the sector and beyond. Congratulations to everyone at Bodycote for their vision and hard work.”

Across more than 100 sites globally, the Bodycote group is deploying a programme of energy efficiency, electrification and on-site renewable energy projects to minimise energy use and carbon emissions. Innovations include on-site nitrogen gas generators and application of novel hydrogen electrolysers. The group has also started to source green methanol for use in its processing and is exploring ways to tackle emissions relating to the supply of process gases used in furnaces, which are traditionally road transported.

For more information, please visit: https://www.bodycote.com/

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