Yesterday was the longest day of the year in the UK yet those of us living here would never have thought so; it started off grey and dreary and remained that way. Today has been worse and it's chilly and windy, so I'm pleased that we've been able to include some news this week to 'warm the cockles of your heart', as the saying goes!

Before using that phrase in KBZine I thought I ought to check that I had it right, bearing in mind I'd never seen it written anywhere. Initially my interpretation that it meant 'delighting your innermost feelings' was backed up by wikianswers.com, but the site went on to argue that Kachels (pronounced cockles) are tiles covering stoves and fireplaces (kachelovens) that radiate heat and that the expression is a corruption of the phrase, 'May it warm the kachels of your hearth'. The site goes on to explain that a kacheloven is fuel efficient and radiates heat long after the fire is out, which is all rather clever as it brings me nicely back to the point that I was making in the first place - the acknowledgement by so many firms that we need to become more efficient!

In this week's issue alone, we have B & V developing systems that allow manufacturers to use process water more sustainably (the company has delivered what is thought to be the first zero carbon non-consumptive river intake and return loop in Europe), an encouraging report on the technologies used in low/zero carbon homes - and Ellis Furniture celebrating the clocking up of 236 years' service by five employees! This long service is testament to the company's commitment to providing apprenticeships and when you compare the money spent on thoroughly training the team with the costs of dealing with a potentially high staff turnover and the possibility of the manufacture of second-rate furniture by less than expert staff, it throws things into a different light, doesn't it, so this is really another example of efficiency and sustainability.
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Yours,

Jan Hobbs