Alsco Uniforms is leading the charge in industrial renewable energy.
The top of the South has always been celebrated for its abundance of sunshine. Now, for Alsco Uniforms Richmond, that sunshine has become the driving force behind a cleaner, more sustainable future.
In a landmark move for New Zealand’s industrial sector, Alsco Uniforms has officially launched its first Kiwi-based large-scale solar project at its Richmond plant. The installation marks a significant milestone in the company’s wider Asia-Pacific sustainability journey, setting a bold new benchmark for energy independence and emissions reduction in local manufacturing.
For Alsco Uniforms, environmental responsibility isn’t a recent trend, it is a long-term corporate strategy. Following a major investment from the company’s directors, a brand-new plant was built in Richmond in 2020. Since then, the team has continuously integrated advanced machinery designed to drastically reduce water usage. According to Branch Manager Richard Mahood, introducing solar energy was simply “the next logical step.”
When evaluating potential locations across the country, the Richmond site quickly became the standout choice.
— Richard Mahood, Branch Manager, Alsco Uniforms
To bring the ambitious project to life, Alsco partnered with the engineering team at Lightforce Solar. The resulting commercial array is an absolute powerhouse, custom-designed to maximise the region’s high solar yield.
Total System Size
152 kW system
Solar Panels
244 × 625W Trina N-type panels (Tier 1)
Inverter Technology
High-efficiency Sungrow inverters
Projected Annual Output
~200,000 kWh per annum
Expected Grid Offset
40% reduction based on historical site load
For a commercial project of this scale, Alsco needed far more than a standard solar contractor; they required deep technical expertise and end-to-end execution.
Lightforce Solar stepped up to the plate, guiding Alsco through the critical early stages of the project long before the first panel touched the roof.
— Haris Murtaza, Energy & Utilities Manager, Alsco Uniforms
While this marks a historic “first” for Alsco on New Zealand soil, it aligns with a massive sustainability push across the broader Asia-Pacific region.
Alsco Uniforms Asia Pacific has been aggressively implementing a robust sustainability action plan, having already deployed over 2.5 megawatts of solar installations across Australia and the wider Asia Pacific region.
As the company shifts its focus toward total energy independence and deep emissions reductions through electrification and renewable energy, the Richmond plant stands as a proud beacon of what is locally achievable.
— Haris Murtaza, Energy & Utilities Manager, Alsco Uniforms
Every commercial site is different. Talk to our commercial team about your operation, your energy use, and whether solar and battery could make sense for you – we’ll run the numbers and tell you either way.
