TRANSPORTATION OF OUR PRODUCTS

Cold Chon is also involved in the Storage, Distribution and Transportation of Bitumen, which is certified under our ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System and ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System. Our storage facility is located in Galway Docks. From there various grades of Bitumen are transported all over the country. The whole logistics process is managed by Cold Chon. This is achieved by using our own employees and our own transport fleet. We manage the transfer from ship to shore then from the terminal to production plants and various customer sites. To ensure the highest Quality and Safety Standards we maintain a very large degree of control in the logistics element.

All drivers involved in the transport of Bitumen must have a Vocational Training Certificate (Hazchem). Each driver receives 5 days training and following an exam set by the Health and Safety Authority their Certificate is issued. Refresher training is required every 5 years. As part of Cold Chon's commitment to Health and Safety, additional driver awareness training is carried out annually by the companies appointed Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser Liam O'Shaughnessy. In accordance with Transport of Dangerous Goods legislation all companies involved in the transport of dangerous goods must have an appointed DGSA.

Vehicles involved in bitumen transport must display all relevant marks and labels and also have all the necessary equipment on board. All vehicles are of ADR spec and are tested annually by the Road Safety Authority, each tanker is fitted with all the latest safety devices such as interlocking brakes (which are automatically applied when the tanker is been off loaded), emergency showers and handrails are standard on our tankers.

All Tankers transporting Bitumen must be pressure tested every 3 years, this involves both air and water tests which are carried out at our premises in Oranmore under the supervision of a competent independent assessor who issues a test report. All water used for tests is then recycled into our production plant.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT USED BY COLD CHON

There is a great ethos at Cold Chon within our management structure of continually asking "Can things be done a better way? Is there an opportunity for improvement?" This viewpoint leads in turn to the implementation of cutting edge technology and innovative techniques. We are continually updating and upgrading plant and equipment to remain at the forefront of technology and continue as technology leaders in our sector.

Cold Chon has always been exceptionally pro-active when it comes to their environmental performance and practices. Since 2001 we have been certified to the voluntary Environmental Management System (EMS) ISO 14001. As part of our EMS certification we undergo annual ISO 14001:2004 audits by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), which are always very positive.

Significant time and effort has gone into our waste management process with trends as follows: Recycling rate has gone to 85% , Skip waste is now only 11% of the total cardboard and paper recycling is over 3.5t p/a, packaging waste has reduced by 70% over the last 10 years.

Cold Chon has an IPPC license issued by the Environmental Protection agency since 1996, where in the last five years EPA audits we have been found to be fully compliant. Indeed in the most recent audit the EPA Auditor commented that "Environmental Management of this facility is of a high standard. The licensee is to be commended for the proactive approach that is taken to ensure license compliance and to create a general awareness amongst staff members of environmental issues"

Following an extensive review in 2007 we won the Galway Chamber of Commerce Environmental Award which was sponsored by Galway City Council, and were runner-up in 2009. This was a significant achievement considering the nature of the businesses and industry sectors we were up against in the final three.

The above highlights the company's commitment to the protection of the environment and ensure that Cold Chon delivers a positive impact on the environment through our everyday practices. As our ISO 14001 motto goes "If we don't look after the environment, no one else will".

A material safety data sheet (MSDS) is a 16 point information sheet containing data regarding the properties of a particular substance. It is intended to provide workers and emergency personnel with information for handling or working with that substance in a safe manner, and includes information such as physical data (melting point, boiling point, flash point, etc.), toxicity, health effects, first aid, reactivity, storage, disposal, protective equipment, and spill handling procedures.

MSDS information may include instructions for the safe use and potential hazards associated with a particular material or product. An MSDS for a substance is not primarily intended for use by the general consumer, focusing instead on the hazards of working with the material in an occupational setting.

Should you require an MSDS for one of our products please email quality@coldchon.ie

The company is very pro-active in the community and has run many support schemes with local school, church and community in general such as:

• Financial Support for Equipment, plants, garden ware etc. in local school
• Giving presentations on Environment in the local school
• Organising Tours of Cold Chon for students
• Allowing third level student to audit our facilities as part of their program
• Annual Participation in the St. Patricks Day parade
• Seminars to County Councils in the West and North- West which includes environment and safety
• Support of an achievement award in local college
• Road Safety Art Competition with New Inn National School
• Monivea RFC Sponsorship
• Involvement in social programmes
• We are continually committed to developing new products in our R&D lab, with emphasis being placed on using renewable resources which are environmentally friendly for today's ever changing roads industry.

Cold Chon has an IPPC license issued by the Environmental Protection agency since 1996, where in the last five years audits we have been found to be fully compliant in EPA audits of the site. Indeed in the most recent audit, the EPA Auditor commented that "Environmental Management of this facility is of a high standard. The licensee is to be commended for the proactive approach that is taken to ensure license compliance and to create a general awareness amongst staff members of environmental issues".

We believe all the above highlights the company's commitment to be a good corporate citizen, while delivering a positive impact on the community in general.