Recofloor goes Limited as it heads for record-breaking year

Due to the overwhelming success of the UK’s award-winning vinyl flooring recycling scheme, Recofloor Limited has been created to demonstrate commitment to sustainability within the flooring sector by the scheme’s founders Altro and Polyflor.

The change of status to a limited company coincides with Recofloor heading for a record-breaking year having collected nearly 190 tonnes of waste material in the first six months of 2011 — equalling the whole of last year’s tonnage.

June also saw the 500th tonne collected since Recofloor was founded by leading flooring manufacturers Altro and Polyflor in 2009. Managed by Axion Consulting, the industry-led take-back initiative collects and recycles smooth uplifted vinyl and smooth and safety off-cuts.

Recofloor Project Manager, Jane Gardner of Axion Consulting says:
“This is a spectacular achievement that reflects Recofloor members’ commitment and sustained efforts to make the scheme an on-going success story. Greater industry awareness that vinyl flooring can be recycled has also helped to increase collections of high-quality material that can be re-used in new products.”

She continues:
“Recofloor Ltd will not affect members in any way; indeed it signals a new phase that will see more drop-off sites and result in a bigger and better service for collectors. We’re making tremendous progress and so far in 2011 we’ve collected a tonne of waste vinyl flooring a day. These volumes can only increase, which is good news for the industry and the environment.”

Recofloor has 330 members across the UK and Ireland, comprising flooring contractors, drop-off sites at flooring distributors and waste transfers. Waste vinyl flooring is also collected from construction projects at schools, hospitals and leading retail stores.

The scheme helps local authorities, distributors and contractors in terms of diverting growing volumes of waste vinyl flooring from landfill, reducing disposal costs and helping firms win new business through accentuating ‘green’ credentials.

Volumes have also been boosted with the recent addition of 20 new members from The Independent Floorcovering Distributors Association (IFDA), bringing major benefits for both organisations.

These 20 distributors have added a further 32 drop-off sites to the nationwide network — making a total of 65 drop-off sites where flooring companies can deposit smooth uplifted vinyl, smooth vinyl offcuts and safety flooring offcuts for recycling. More sites are planned this year.

IFDA members now offer a UK-wide recycling service to their customers, fitting in with their localised IFDA-Link service where branches ‘inter-trade’ with each other across the UK to order goods.

Jane adds:
“Having more drop-off sites is making a visible difference as our latest figures show. Recofloor members benefit from more choice and flexibility in where they can deposit material. Additionally, by demonstrating their commitment to recycling, it can also help them to win new business.”

Axion Consulting
Tudor House
Meadway
Bramhall
SK7 2DG UK

T: 0161 426 7731
F: 0161 426 7732