Shining Earth™ formed a Strategic Alliance with Océ UK in October 2007. Océ is a Dutch based firm specialising in printing and copying machines. The Alliance was formed as a result of Océ’s desire to further enhance its environmental credentials and in response to growing customer demands and wider consumer expectations for businesses to demonstrate good corporate environmental stewardship.

 

The corporate guidance provided by Shining Earth™ will focus on the following areas of core business activity;

 

 

In this advisory role, Shining Earth™ will assist in the identification and implementation of exciting and often unique initiatives to further enhance the environmental credentials and stewardship of the business.

 

 

In response to the ever rising CO₂ levels in the atmosphere and the alarming ramifications of climate change and global warming, Océ has launched the Carbon Positive PLUS+ scheme with Shining Earth™. The initiative applies to the new VarioPrint® 6000 series of printers.  The energy consumption from the flagship of the range VarioPrint® 6250 was measured by Shining Earth™ over all of its key functions and operating modes.  From this data the CO₂ released as a consequence of electricity generation can be accurately predicted under a number of operational scenarios over the lifetime of the machine.  Making the product operationally carbon neutral would mean offsetting this same quantity of CO₂.  However, to make a positive step beyond carbon neutrality, Océ has committed to offset 200% of the CO₂ for each of the VarioPrint® 6000 machines sold until at least November 2008. (Carbon calculator)

 

The CO₂ emissions calculated under the scheme will be offset in three initiatives:

 

International Methane Capture Projects

UK Afforestation carbon sequestration schemes.

 

 

Going further, Océ also commissioned Shining Earth™ to perform an Environmental Stewardship Appraisal at the sites of the first 25 of the VarioPrint® 6000 series machines installed, at no cost to the customer. Shining Earth™ has now undertaken all 25 ESA's for Océ's customers ranging from university print rooms to large scale industrial print units. In total Shining Earth™ has recommended savings of 649.1 tonnes of CO2, 25,301m3 of water and approx. £127,898 savings a year for Océ's customers.

 

The Carbon Positive PLUS+ program has not only enhanced the environmental credentials of the VarioPrint® 6000 series product range but also the credentials of the customers who operate it.

 

Ed Hudson, Marketing Manager, Océ UK, said:

 

“We sincerely hope that by operating the Carbon Positive PLUS+ scheme it will enhance our customers’ ability to win work with their own clients who place sustainable procurement and environmental performance as high on the business agenda as we does.

 

Delta-Simons has first-class credentials and produce results that really do improve an organisations’ environmental performance.  This strategic partnership follows on from some other key environmental initiatives, all of which are being driven by our customers who also want to address climate change.”

 

For more information about Océ UK please click here.

 

For more information on the alliance please click here.