AST achieves carbon neutral status

UK branding specialist AST has secured carbon-neutral status in accordance with PAS 2060, with the support of HP Latex printing technology.

PAS 2060 carbon neutrality is a key objective for many organisations from multiple sectors. It encourages businesses to help combat climate change in a number of ways including enhancing their sustainability credentials and increasing resilience; offering customers more eco-friendly products and services; and improving efficiency by cutting energy costs.

For the last 14 years, Ast, which has bases in Cumbria and Warrington as well as a nationwide applications network, has been working towards becoming carbon neutral by implementing a number of schemes.

These initiatives included introducing solar panels, using electric cars, installing new charging points, increasing recycling, and reducing travel and fuel consumption. The company also switched to using energy-efficient and planet-friendly technologies such as HP Latex printers to support its long-term sustainability goals.

All HP Latex printers use water-based HP Latex Ink, which has a significantly lower impact on the environment than other inks such as solvent, eco-solvent and UV. The use of this print technology increased AST’s environmental credentials and contributed to its achieving carbon-neutral status.

AST operates almost exclusively with HP Latex printers, installed by approved HP partner Perfect Colours, and uses these machines to produce a wide range of printed work such as transport branding, signage and commercial interior design for global names in motorsport, logistics, healthcare and education.

“We’re proud to be not just sustainable, but the only transport branding company in the UK to be carbon neutral, in accordance with PAS 2060; the last 14 years have been a great learning process. We’re now working hard to become net zero,” Ast Managing Director Mark Aston says.

“It’s good to know we’re doing everything we can to work sustainably. We know that our carbon neutral status will be of huge value to our clients who are also becoming increasingly conscious of their own carbon footprint.”

Jane Rixon, Large Format Production Business Development at HP adds: “We’re delighted that AST has been able to secure carbon neutral status, and that our environmentally friendly HP Latex print technology played a part in this achievement.

“By working with HP Latex technology, printers can offer their customers a much more sustainable service while retaining a superior quality of print. As demand for environmentally friendly printed work continues to increase, HP Latex printers offer a cost-effective way of helping print service providers become more sustainable.”