Past & Future

Experience and Integrity: a 50 Year Pedigree.

Bridec began producing high quality melamine faced boards in 1972, providing Wessex Furniture with a wealth of experience in the flexibility of short run production for the bespoke market.

By 1990 Bridec started to fabricate the Melamine board into furniture and from there Wessex Furniture has flourished. The company is in the unique position of having the board making facility on the same premises as the finished product, allowing a high degree of operational efficiency and excellent lead times and the ability to maintain accuracy and quality of the product, enhancing the service to the customer.

Our Green Future

We are taking the company forward into a more sustainable future and we are starting by investing in renewable energy systems to power our factory.

Our new solar array and battery storage system (installed late 2024) will help us reduce our carbon footprint.

Lowering carbon and energy cost

We run several electricity-intensive processes which use around 320,000 kWh per year. This includes a high-heat melamine press that runs 12 hours a day.

Bridec has a strong commitment to sustainability, with a rigorous environmental management system (ISO14001) in place. We asked Good Energy to expand our existing rooftop solar PV array, with the dual aim of slashing carbon emissions and mitigating rising energy costs.

Like many manufacturers, Bridec has a large, previously unused flat roof space which is perfect for solar PV. Prior to the install, the team of MCS-accredited specialists conducted a detailed feasibility assessment and liaised with the Distribution Network Operator to secure permissions to connect a larger solar panel array to the grid.

The First Six Months

In the first six months of operation, our solar array saved 20,853.8kg of Co2 emissions. That's the equivalent of planting 1,262 trees:

An optimised solar and battery solution, with payback in under three years

Good Energy Solar installed a solar array with a capacity of 257.07 kWp, and a 3-phase 104 kWh battery to store excess electricity for use at peak times. Bridec’s solar panel array will offset 71% of their annual electricity bill, with expected annual savings of £57,000 and full payback in less than 3 years. Bridec is also getting paid for any excess electricity they export to the grid, via a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Good Energy.

Commissioned in June 2024, the solar array met almost all of Bridec’s electricity needs in the summer months, dramatically cutting the company’s carbon footprint and bills. Even on cloudy days in winter, the array is generating up to 140 kWh per day, keeping their energy costs low.

Installed using the Mansafe fall-arrest system, the solar array will be simple to maintain without the need for excess scaffolding.

“We wanted to increase our renewable generation capacity, because it’s the right thing to do, and will protect us against rising energy costs."

Alastair Pollard, Director, Bridec

Environmental Management

Bridec is proud to be ISO 14001 registered. ISO 14001 sets the standard for Environmental Management Systems and therefore recognises the lengths we have gone to as a company to rigourously ensure our processes, materials and products limit damage to the environment.

We source all of our raw wood material from sustainable sources and our FSC accreditation supports this.

Waste materials from our factory (some waste is inevitable in manufacturing but we work to limit the amount) is used to heat the facility.