PACKAGING suppliers and manufacturers Mainline Flatpacks are saving more than �7,000 a year on their energy bills.

The company took advantage of a free business resource review provided by a Government sponsored service for which funding was due to run out at the end of last year.

But the demand from companies like Mainline Flatpacks for Resource Efficiency East’s free one-to-one reviews has been so great that the organisation has secured additional funding to offer support to a further 100 businesses across the East of England in 2011.

Mainline, which employs more than 50 people at its Glebe Road, Huntingdon, premises was pointed to savings through upgrading lighting and CCTV and operating the air conditioning more effectively could result in savings of over �7,000 per year, a spokesman for Resource Efficiency East said.

The organisation, jointly funded by the doomed East of England Development Agency and the European Regional Development Fund, delivers specialist advice, guidance and support on how businesses in the East of England can reduce the use of resources including water, energy and materials and achieve financial savings as a result.

The business resource review service is an examination of the resource use of a business, delivered by a professional adviser who provides recommendations on how to improve efficiency. The review involves a site visit to help understand how the business can use materials, water and energy more efficiently, and improve environmental management.

From the review findings, a bespoke report is created highlighting the key opportunities that will help reduce costs and improve resource efficiency, and further support by telephone and e-mail is offered for a period of six months to help the company implement the recommendations.

Simon Chiva, REE’s programme manager, said: “We are delighted to have been given further funding based on the results achieved over the past three years. Businesses have made some real inroads into reducing their impact on the environment while making savings to their bottom line, and it is great news that this can now be extended to another 100 businesses.”

Since the start of the programme, its review service has identified �4.5 million worth of cost savings for businesses in the East of England with over 750 businesses receiving a visit from REE advisers.

For further information, or for an initial discussion on your project, please contact INFORMATION: Simon Chiva is at simonchiva@resourceefficiencyeast.org.uk or 01733 294524. The REE website is: www.resourceefficiencyeast.org,uk