There is more to Dawsongroup’s supersite at Avonmouth than meets the eye. It is not just a state-of-the-art facility for the staff who work out of it and assets that are stored there, it is also a hub for sustainable working.

Opened in January 2021, it covers just over six acres and includes purpose-built offices, a bespoke vehicle workshop and open storage areas for trucks, trailers, sweepers, vans and temperature-controlled solutions. It brings together four Dawsongroup businesses that previously operated from three separate sites – Dawsongroup truck and trailer, Dawsongroup emc, Dawsongroup vans and Dawsongroup temperature control solutions.

Recycling More Than Paper

Whilst many companies recycle paper and card, Dawsongroup’s Avonmouth site goes several steps further. Paper, plastic, cardboard, metal, batteries, and mixed recycling are collected on a regular basis, meaning the majority of waste is recycled and the little that remains only needs to be collected once a month.

In addition to all this, even the water used to wash the vehicles is recycled. There are three bespoke wash bays, designed to fit even the largest sweeper; they are so large that if they weren’t ventilated properly they would take off in the wind! Usually, one or two vehicles a day are valeted and washed. They are always cleaned as soon as they come in and then checked for damages.

Two 10,000-litre water tanks hold enough water to keep them going whatever the weather. Each time a vehicle is washed, the used water is collected, filtered and treated before being pumped back into the storage tanks, ready to be reused. Although the resulting grey water is not perfectly clean, it is clean enough to wash vehicles which then have a final rinse with fresh water to get the desired shine.

The whole system is under cover as any rainwater which gets in could cause the tanks to overflow. On average, 90% of the water used is recycled, making it an extremely effective system.

At the back of the yard is a different kind of ecosystem. A large pond – affectionately nicknamed ‘Dawson’s Creek’ – fills with rainwater and runoff and therefore prevents flooding in the local area. Specialised equipment separates out any oil from the water before it flows into the nearest stream and back into the water course around Avonmouth. It was decided to keep the creek as natural as possible, surrounded by overgrowth, to encourage local wildlife.

Making the Most of the Sunshine

Eight EV fast charging points, each of which are double ported, are located in the main car park and within the vans storage area, ensuring that all kinds of electric vehicles can be charged whether owned by Dawsongroup, staff or visitors.

TCS has its own separate workshop space in the yard for projects, whilst the rear of the building contains workshops housing five roller shutter bays which can be driven straight into for servicing, repair or preparation of new vehicles. The roof of the workshops is covered with 215m² of photovoltaic (solar) panels which provide 36kWp of solar power to the site. This covers around 45% of the site’s everyday power requirements and saves 10 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year.

Karl Cook, Regional Facilities Coordinator South, helped to set up the whole site. “We also have provisions for additional charge points,” he said. “Ductwork has already been installed as part of the initial build. As we have this ductwork we can expand, depending on the type of cable we install, so at this stage it is very much a blank canvas on how many we can install.”

Futureproofed and Comfortable

With LED lighting throughout the site and the latest air conditioning system comprising air source heating and cooling, Avonmouth is sustainable and efficient in every way possible, whilst also ensuring staff are comfortable.

“Everything at Avonmouth is fantastic,” said Wayne Sheppard, Area Operations Manager for Dawsongroup truck and trailer. “We have proper wash bays and a well-kitted out workshop, and our other sites are quite envious. Drivers from Milton Keynes come here and are always impressed. With the site being built from scratch, we are ready for the transition to alternative fuels and futureproofed for having electric assets. It has also been built with room to expand by including the groundwork for more EV chargepoints in the future.”

“With sustainability, we tick all the boxes for tenders in the area,” said Adam Eddy, Sales Manager South for Dawsongroup emc. “Personally, I think it’s great as it means we’re ahead of the game. We can bring companies here and they see that we’re in line with everything to be eco-friendly. Having the EV chargers is great as it futureproofs the building, and everyone who walks in here thinks we’re futureproofed.”

“As a company we’re very aware about where the future is going because we have to be,” said Freya Dawson, Group Property Director. “For our Avonmouth supersite, we bought the land and designed it from scratch so we could ensure that the building materials and design support sustainability. We’ve shown our intention long term by commissioning the groundwork and installation for more EV charging points than we needed at the time. We know which way the world is moving and we’re being vigilant with that. However, for every business to transition there needs to be enough electricity on the grid and the country has to come up with a solution for that.”

There is an open-door policy for customers to go and visit the Avonmouth supersite and its facilities. Contact us today to arrange a visit!