Northern Ireland firm Tobermore has been crowned 'Sustainable Manufacturing Business of the Year'.

The paving and walling manufacturer was celebrated at the inaugural Business Eye Sustainability Awards organised by Business Eye at the Culloden Estate & Spa in Belfast. These prestigious awards aim to recognise local businesses for their hard work and continued contribution to a more sustainable environment.

Tobermore beat off competition from major names like Coca-Cola HBC, Wrightbus and Collins Aerospace.

Tobermore uses 100% of the energy produced from its renewable sources in their operations. The business owns a 250kW wind turbine and have over 1250 solar panels installed which produce 28,950.9 kWhr per annum. The company is currently supplied with 100% Green energy as verified by Power NI.

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Tobermore has championed a few sustainability initiatives that set them apart for the judges. In the last few months, the company has established a collaborative cluster to transform excess livestock manure and grass silage into biomethane which can be used as fuel. For Tobermore, this could lead to decarbonised fuel for vehicles and lower carbon paving, walling and kerb products.

Last year, the responsible manufacturer released Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for their paving, walling and kerb products. EPDs provide their customers with comparable, objective and third-party verified environmental data.

Furthermore, Tobermore has begun planting over 44,000 trees in Northern Ireland. The initiative promises to have a positive environmental impact while supporting local biodiversity.

David Henderson, Managing Director and owner of Tobermore commented: "Tobermore is delighted to be named Sustainable Manufacturing Business of the Year. Sustainability is a key strategic focus for our business and although we don't do it for awards, it is wonderful to be recognised in this way. This accolade marks a key milestone in our sustainability journey and is a credit to our team and the sustainability ethos they have embedded."

Business Eye judging panel chairman, Richard Buckley added: "Tobermore's was a stand-out entry in the highly competitive manufacturing category. In an industry with some significant environmental challenges, Tobermore has made huge strides towards embracing sustainability throughout both its manufacturing process as well as its organisation as a whole."