The company (Bullivant Taranto Limited) had a high dependency on concrete from outside sources.  To improve efficiency and lower costs, it needed to design and manufacture lower energy and consistent concrete. The company could not enter into new markets until it could manufacture high quality concrete which minimised energy use and maximised profit. The company recognised the opportunity to develop in-house testing facilities and high performance/low energy concrete, to optimise and test locally sourced aggregates and to assess the environment to enable daily adaptation of the batching/ production methods to promote reduced energy demand, thus creating more sustainable products.  For example, cement represented 98% of the CO2 in Bullivant’s pre-cast concrete; hence a saving of 10kg of cement per cubic metre of concrete production represented a CO2 reduction and cost savings of approximately £30k/year (compared to current costs).  There is also a reduction in the pollution associated with cement production.