Swansway Group saves £1m by switching to LED light bulbs

Swansway Group has invested more than £300,000 to replace all the light bulbs across its business with LED units.

The move is expected to reduce carbon emissions from the company by 150 tonnes over a five-year period and will contribute to cost savings of around £1 million.

Family owned Swansway Group operates 23 new and used car and van dealerships across the North West and Midlands.

The group-wide sustainability initiative is expected to pay for itself in 12-15 months through reduced energy bills and provide ongoing cost savings through lower operating costs and maintenance.

Asa Baker, Swansway Group’s procurement manager, said: “Whilst I can appreciate that the high up-front costs might be off-putting at first glance, once you delve more closely in the efficiency and effectiveness of switching the lightbulbs, the arguments, both in terms of cost-saving and Corporate and Social Responsibility easily make the case to justify the investment.

“I see only positives in all aspects of the business from this implementation, and I would encourage others within the business community to look into the viability of switching over the LEDs in their own workspaces.”

LED light bulbs have a very long lifespan relative to every other form of lighting, even up to 50,000-100,000 hours more than fluorescent light bulbs, therefore the new strategy will deliver both practical and financial ongoing maintenance advantages for the Group.

The very first installation took place at Crewe Volkswagen and team members could instantly see that the quality of light produced by the LEDs improved the appearance of the showroom and the areas where they work.

Staff at Crewe Volkswagen report a “much better looking environment” all at times of the day, and irrespective of the weather conditions outside their building.

David Smyth, Swansway Group director, added: “The message about sustainability is clear. Swansway Group has always been focussed on investing in the areas where we do business, and this commitment to reduce the carbon footprint for each of our operations is an extension of this commitment. We are very proud to be making this change to improve our environments for all our customers and workforces and to for us to contribute to a future-proofed, sustainable environment for us all to enjoy.”