Midal Cables wins first National Grid supplier design contest
10 July 2013 | Adam Leach
A project that reduces reliance on natural resources by recycling the aluminium used in overhead power lines has been awarded the top prize in the National Grid supplier design competition.
The winning entry, submitted by Bahraini manufacturer Midal Cables , will enable National Grid to reduce the amount of Aluminium it buys by recycling current supplies and putting the materials back into use. Midal was presented with its award by Sir Peter Gershon, chairman of National Grid and Dame Ellen MacArthur, whose foundation is working with the utilities business to support development of the circular economy.
Morrison Utility Services and Alstom , which also submitted entries around extending the lifecycle of National Grid assets, were named as runners up. The competition, which was launched back in March , invited the National Grid supply chain to submit ideas that would boost sustainability, such as recycling or repurposing materials already under ownership.
Speaking to SM following the presentation, Rob Douglas, head of procurement UK at National Grid, explained a key part of the success of the competition was senior support for sustainability: “There’s a push on driving sustainability down through our business and supply chain. We’ve got huge support in there and five years ago it probably wasn’t on the corporate agenda as much. Now, it’s a core thing we’ve got to look at.”
National Grid has set a target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. By 2020 it is aiming to have cut them by 45 per cent.
