main content

Dagenham

Strategically located only a few miles East of the City of London and Canary Wharf, Dagenham is a central manufacturing location within the Thames Gateway.

Ford Dagenham Engine Plant

Dagenham Engine Plant in the Thames Gateway, has been a leader in green manufacturing since it was built in 2004.  In 2007, the Dagenham facility was recognised for this leadership by receiving a national "Award for Excellence" from Business in the Community.

Dagenham was singled out for its comprehensive environmental efforts, including reducing CO² emissions through the use of renewable wind energy, facility energy-efficiency improvements, a fuel-efficient product lineup, reducing waste and using green materials.

Dagenham is completely powered by renewable energy.  It uses two on-site wind turbines to produce 3.6 megawatts of power.  By using these wind turbines, Dagenham eliminates approximately 6,500 metric tons of CO² per year.  In 2007, Dagenham added a third wind turbine to remain 100 percent wind powered following the installation of a new 1.4/1.6-liter Duratorq TDCi engine line. The third Ecotricity turbine has the capacity to produce 1.8 megawatts of green electricity – the equivalent of powering 1,000 homes.

Dagenham was also recognised for leadership in energy efficiency. Gas and electricity bills were reduced by 12 percent through energy-efficiency actions such as optimising energy-intensive operations.  For example, compressed air for handheld tools was scientifically optimised to use 70 percent less energy per engine versus other manufacturing lines.

Dagenham has also prevented more than 12,600 metric tons of waste being sent to landfills for disposal, via waste reduction and increased recycling.  For example, metal filings and other waste from the machining process are squeezed dry of lubricants and sold as briquettes for recycling. In addition, 20,000 square meters of floor concrete removed to install new engine lines was reused in the flooring of the new production line.

Finally, the facility makes fuel-efficient engines that have been designed with the environment in mind. In addition to the Business in the Community Excellence Award, Dagenham also won the Business Commitment to the Environment Premier Award and Business in the Community's "Big Tick" awards in 2007 for the new fuel-efficient 1.4/1.6-litre engine line produced at Dagenham. The Big Tick awards are presented to companies that demonstrate the positive impact of their responsible business behavior. The Ford Fiesta models powered by these new 1.4- and 1.6-litre engines emit fewer than 120 grams of CO² per kilometer. (366 words).

Dagenham Dock – Sustainable Industries Park (SIP)

Dagenham Dock is home to the Sustainable Industries Park (SIP) which offers over 20 hectares of serviced development plots and is already home to Closed Loop, the world’s first food grade recycling facility for PET and HDPE plastics.

In 2010, the SIP will become home to the Thames Gateway Institute for Sustainability, a multi-million pound Centre of Excellence to support the development of practical and commercial innovations aimed at reducing negative impacts on the environment.

Dagenham Dock also features Gazeley’s £27 million Voltaic, and award-winning distribution/warehouse building which incorporates state-of-the-art environmentally sustainable construction features such as photovoltaic roof panels and a grounds source heat pump.

Why come to Dagenham Dock?

• The proximity to London offers the largest resource opportunity in the UK – the need for recycling and materials reprocessing is enormous. London will be producing 22 million tons of waste material by 2020 and research shows that at least 14 million tones of this waste could be recycled
• Opportunity to take advantage of Research and development tax credits – each £100 of R&D in the UK now costs £62
• Grants available from government funded Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP)
• A wide range of properties to choose from – from purpose built small business units, to larger warehouse facilities
• An Institute for Sustainability is planned for 2011 – a world class research and development centre focusing on sustainable construction, renewable energy, waste, recycling and reuse, designed as a bridge between research, academia and industry