Higher quality presents business opportunities to UK recovered materials markets
24 February 2010
WRAP’s (Waste & Resources Action Programme) third international markets conference that took place in London yesterday gave the clearest steer possible that quality matters to the whole recycling industry supply chain, and alongside it, could stem market opportunities for UK businesses.
Marcus Gover, Director of Market Development at WRAP said: “We were delighted by the strength of the support shown by the whole industry for quality. It reinforced the message that the importance of quality for domestic and export recycling cannot be underestimated.”
Although WRAP’s research on market sentiment amongst Chinese paper and plastics reprocessors indicated that UK material quality was good, but by no means the best, there seemed to be a consensus that in a globally competitive market, there was no room for complacency. During voting sessions used by WRAP throughout the day to take ‘snapshots’ of opinion, three-quarters of voters thought that there was a case for improving beyond current quality levels.
Part of the imperative to do this was tighter enforcement of import controls. Two-thirds of market practitioners indicated that they had been impacted by tightening controls. But – of these – 30% said that this has presented them with market opportunities.
Another key finding was that three-quarters of participants do not believe the UK is currently extracting the best possible value from its recovered materials. With WRAP developing domestic markets for recovered materials and clear demand for quality products abroad, UK businesses could seize the imperative to extract greater value, differentiate themselves from the competition and gain greater business security in the longer term.
Speakers throughout the day went on to reinforce the importance of quality further.
Keith Freegard, Director at Axion discussed the importance of product differentiation: “Axion produces an innovative, high-quality plastic product in a responsible, traceable manner. We stretch closed loop recycling all the way to China, where demand for quality products is huge. When markets turn down, quality wins, particularly when produced close to the end-use customer”.
Nick Watson, Marketing Manager at ACN Europe asserted that: “Quality remains an extremely high focus for China and the China Certification and Inspection (Group) Co. Ltd (CCIC) inspections across all grades of paper, but particularly from MRF tonnages.”
All reports and presentations from the conference are now available on www.wrap.org.uk/internationalmarkets2010.
Editor's Notes
- WRAP helps individuals, businesses and local authorities to reduce waste and recycle more, making better use of resources and helping to tackle climate change.
- Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by government funding from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Working in seven key areas (Construction, Retail, Manufacturing, Organics, Business Growth, Behavioural Change, and Local Authority Support), WRAP’s work focuses on market development and support to drive forward recycling and materials resource efficiency within these sectors, as well as wider communications and awareness activities including the multi-media national Recycle Now campaign for England.
- More information on all of WRAP's programmes can be found on www.wrap.org.uk
Katie Zabel
Tel: 01295 817872
katie.zabel@wrap.org.uk
