Pro Tiler Tools powers ahead with major solar investment at Northampton headquarters
Award-winning Northampton business Pro Tiler Tools has completed a major solar panel installation at its Pineham headquarters as part of a wider drive to reduce energy consumption and its environmental impact.
A total of 558 solar panels have been installed on the south-facing roof of the company's 140,000 sq. ft distribution centre at Prologis Park Pineham, creating a 251.1kW solar system expected to generate approximately 233,774 kWh of renewable electricity during its first full year.
The new system is expected to meet around 32% of the site's base electricity demand, averaged across the seasons, significantly reducing the amount of electricity Pro Tiler Tools needs to draw from the grid. Initial projections also indicate a payback period of approximately three years.
Since joining the Topps Group in 2022, Pro Tiler have been involved in the wider programme of sustainability initiatives and investment across the Group. The introduction of solar generation has been the most substantial activity to date.
Installation was completed in August and it is expected to generate approximately 20,000 kWh of solar electricity throughout September.
Liz Scoffins, Sustainability Specialist at Topps Group, said:
"This was an obvious opportunity to make better use of the significant roof space available at Pro Tiler Tools' Northampton headquarters while reducing both the site's reliance on grid electricity and its carbon footprint.
"With the new panels now in place, we're expecting the system to generate a considerable amount of renewable electricity in its first full year. It's a significant investment, but one with clear environmental and commercial benefits and an anticipated payback period of just three years.
"Importantly, this isn't an initiative in isolation. It forms part of the wider work taking place across the Group to reduce our environmental impact and invest in practical measures that can deliver meaningful, long-term change."
The solar project supports the Topps Group's wider environmental ambitions, including significantly reducing the energy usage and carbon emissions related to Scope 1 and Scope 2 by 2030.
Other measures are also being introduced across Pro Tiler Tools and the wider Group. The Northampton headquarters already operates LED lighting, while investment has been made in infrastructure to support the future use of HVO, a bio-based alternative to conventional diesel, as part of the Group's near-term transition towards less carbon-intensive fleet operations. Work around improving recyclability of own-brand packaging, operational waste reduction targets and carbon accounting is also contributing to the broader sustainability programme.
The investment is the latest milestone for Pro Tiler Tools, which has grown from a single Northamptonshire industrial unit into one of the UK's leading specialist tiling suppliers.
Founded by the Bucknall family in 2008, the company now operates nationally from its 140,000 sq. ft Pineham headquarters, with continued investment in its people, technology, logistics and customer experience helping support significant growth.