C R Allen & Sons wins IGA Eco Garage of the Year Award 2024
It’s not often we get to swap the torque wrench for a tuxedo. So when the Independent Garage Association (IGA) come knocking on your door, it doesn’t take much persuasion to join them for an evening of celebration at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.
This year, C R Allen & Sons were entered into three categories: Eco Garage of the Year, Large Independent Garage of the Year and Community Hero. With over 60 finalists from across the UK, we felt honoured to be in the running. But the announcement that followed later that evening would make our year:
“And the IGA Eco Garage of the Year Award goes to C R Allen & Sons”.
After receiving the award, C R Allen & Sons’ owner, Chris Allen, said:
“It’s a real honour to win this award. The automative industry are making huge strides in how we protect our planet, and our entire team are proud to be part of the change.”
To round off a brilliant evening at the IGA Awards, Stuart James, CEO of the IGA, said:
“The level of talent and commitment displayed this year has been nothing short of exceptional. Independent garages play a vital role in the economy, and these awards highlight the crucial role they play in keeping the industry thriving.”
What we’re doing to protect the environment
Planting more trees
Throughout the year, we’ve supported Ecologi (the UK’s leading climate platform) to reduce CO2 and support replanting projects around the world. This year, we’ve supported over 41 projects by co-funding the installation of solar panels, investing in hydroelectricity and planting over 2,501 trees (capturing over 187.02 metric tonnes of CO2).
Later this year, we’ll also be integrating a new system called Ecologi ZERO which allows us to calculate our carbon footprint, identify emissions hotspots and track changes over time. It will also help us to set goals to reduce our emissions and check our emissions reports against the latest standards.
Workshop upgrades
As part of our commitment to reducing carbon, we’ve also made a series of upgrades to our workshop to improve our Energy Performance Asset Rating. Most recently, this has involved replacing our old sodium lighting units with 16 energy-saving LED alternatives, as well as installing air conditioning to take us from Band C (66) to Band B (39).
We’ve also installed planet-friendly heating systems which will soon be followed by solar panelling, giving us a projected energy performance of Band A (12).
Extending the life of parts
Out with the new and in with the old. Where possible, we always recycle or recondition parts to reduce production demand and CO2 emissions.
For example, where main dealerships might replace diesel particulate filters (DPFs), we’ve invested in DPF hydro-cleaning technology to restore filters which still have plenty of life. Not only does it save the environment from more landfill, but it also stops you paying for new parts.
Services for hybrid and electric vehicles
By extending the services we offer to hybrid and electric vehicles, we’ve made it more appealing for customers to transition from petrol and diesel engines to planet-friendly alternatives. We’ve also installed an EV charger to top up our customers’ batteries.
Recycling plastic
Most recently, we’ve joined the local community in collecting plastic milk bottle tops to raise funds for Eastbourne General District Hospital. The money generated from recycling will fund new equipment in the resuscitation room and emergency department. Since joining the scheme, we’ve recycled bottle tops weighing a total of 250 kilograms.
Get in touch
If we can help you with any servicing, repairs or general vehicle enquiries, call our team today on 01273 584987.
