ACO Technologies was initially set up to distribute product from the ACO Group in 1984 and has since become a leading manufacturer in the UK’s built environment, shaping the landscape with numerous innovative solutions designed and made in the UK. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, ACO welcomed past and present employees to its Shefford headquarters.
Guests heard from ACO’s Managing Director, Mike Simpson Lane during a celebratory lunch, where he reflected on the company’s successes, and announced plans of how ACO will contribute to a sustainable future. This includes a commitment to facilitating greater industry collaboration around closer alignment with many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Of the 17 goals on the framework, ACO is already closely aligned with:
UN SDG 4: Quality Education
UN SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
UN SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
UN SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
UN SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
UN SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
UN SDG 13: Climate Action
ACO is one of only three ambassadors in the world for UN SDG 6 for Clean Water and Sanitation. As part of its ambassadorial work, ACO will be participating in next year’s World Engineering Day on 4 March 2025 to champion clean water and sanitation goals.
Mike Simpson Lane said: “We’ve reached an incredible milestone this year, but we’re not resting on our laurels, quite simply because we cannot. Climate change is the defining challenge of our era, and we need to meet this challenge head-on. We must continue to do what we do best – lead by example, revolutionise, and be the champion of water technologies.
“Since we launched all those years ago, we have brought many groundbreaking products to the market. These include our patented StormBrixx and RoofBloxx systems, our combined kerb drainage system, KerbDrain, the ACO Hygienic Drainage range for commercial food preparation, and our patented RoofBloxx system, amongst many more. There will be many more groundbreaking products too, which we are excited to bring to market in the near future, as we look to address the evolving challenges facing our planet.”
To further show how it is committed to UN SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, ACO has received two Queen’s Awards for Innovation and Enterprise, one in 1996 and another in 2005, with the latter recognising the high capacity QMax system used at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 to manage surface water effectively.
Beyond being an innovator of drainage solutions, ACO developed its own framework, the ACO WaterCycle, that others can follow to manage rainwater and wastewater.
Mike said: “As we enter our fifth decade here in the UK, our mission is clear: to be champions of water technologies, while building a truly sustainable business in every aspect. We’re doing this across our entire ecosystem – empowering our people, collaborating with our supply chain, supporting our communities, and partnering with our customers. All of this is within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“We are proud signatories of the UN CEO Water Mandate and the UN Global Compact, solidifying our commitment to a sustainable future. These aren’t just words on paper, nor just a symbolic gesture, it’s a real change in how we do business, ensuring that every action we take has a positive impact on the world around us.”
For more about ACO Technologies, please visit aco.co.uk.
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