Case study: MDI Australia ecoBiz

Manufacturing South East Queensland (South)

MDI Australia is a specialist developer and distributor of gifts, toys and homewares based in Brisbane. It partners with international brands to tailor existing products to better suit the Australian market and to develop exportable products. The company has products across a variety of categories such as glassware, birthday gifts, sensory toys, seasonal celebration lines and wellness lines.

MDI Australia has been associated with the ecoBiz program since 2017 and was recognised as a Star Partner for its energy and waste reduction.

Key initiatives to reduce energy use

In September 2020, MDI moved into a new warehouse specifically designed to cut power use through:

  • a 30-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system
  • energy efficient LED lighting in the office and warehouse areas
  • timers on all air conditioning units in the office areas
  • clear polycarbonate panels on the warehouse roof which allow natural light (instead of electric lighting) to safely illuminate the laneways between pallet racks
  • warehouse design and orientation which allows crossflow ventilation to help keep warehouse staff cool and comfortable (rather than using electric fans).

Key initiatives to reduce waste

  • All warehouse packaging and cardboard boxes are reused.
  • Office paper is used on both sides then shredded and used as warehouse packing material.
  • The warehouse site has two bins for composting food and garden clippings. This compost is used on the on-site gardens (which provide staff with a variety of seasonal produce including passionfruit, dragon fruit, pumpkins, chillies, tomatoes, mulberries, herbs and paw paws).
  • Daily readings of all site water meters help manage water use.
  • Carpet tiles in the office mean damaged tiles can be replaced rather than the complete carpet.

Register now for ecoBiz: a free program funded by the Queensland Government and run by Business Chamber Queensland. ecoBiz helps Queensland businesses audit their resource use, understand their carbon emissions and reduce costs from waste, water and energy bills.