The logical solution to logistics business waste
Businesses up and down the country are continually facing the pressure of rising costs. This, along with the potential economic impact of the coronavirus, means that today's trading conditions can be a challenge. Add into the mix the increasing consumer and legislative pressure to adhere environmentally friendly practices and it’s not surprising that decisions around resources, processes and suppliers are far from simple, particularly if your organisation is in the logistics and distribution sector.
Long distance transportation and storage of goods, i.e. logistics, is a world of pressurised clients, tight deadlines and even tighter profit margins. As such, ensuring costs are carefully monitored and kept as low as possible can make all the difference. Once such area that can make a real impact on your bottom line is waste management.
Don't let your waste go to waste
When it comes to recycling and waste management however, there are some key rules that can help a logistics business make the right decision. Ultimately, distribution companies are pretty unique when it comes to waste. Because goods are received and distributed in large volumes and various sizes, a high quantity of packaging waste is generated in a wide variety of forms. Fortunately, a lot of this waste is cardboard and plastic based, which means it has a significant second-life potential.
An effective waste management strategy that can accommodate large volumes and offer a variety of recycling options is a must. Equipment such as balers and compactors can help condense the waste and maintain its quality but first it is essential to choose the right waste management partner.
Question time
Asking the right questions at the outset can really help identify a waste provider that will be on your side:
Can you offer a service that can deal with a wide variety of waste streams?
Is your service reliable?
Can you help maximise our recycling rates?
Can you help us reduce waste?
How far will you be taking our waste?
Are your prices competitive?
Let’s tackle each question in turn.
A service for all waste streams
It is imperative to work with a client that can provide a one-stop shop solution. Not only will there be cost benefits in working with a waste management company that can collect a variety of waste streams, it will also reduce time and admin spent on sourcing exit routes. Although your primary waste product might be packaging, it goes without saying that, as a logistics company, you will often be left much more than just that. Whether it's confidential documents from your offices, a faulty batch of goods that need to be disposed of, old electrical equipment or something else, you need a company that can collect all types of waste on a regular or ad-hoc basis.
At Cawleys we collect:
General waste
Segregated commodity waste include, glass, card, plastic and cans
Food waste
Coffee waste (including drinks cups and coffee grounds
Vegware
Hazardous waste
WEEE waste
This means you can rely on us, whatever the nature of the waste you need to dispose of.
Reliability rules
Waste isn’t nice, it doesn’t look attractive, it doesn’t smell pleasant and it’s not hygienic. Ensuring it is removed as and when your business requires, is vital. Choosing a waste partner that owns and manages its own fleet ensures that it is in charge of its own collection schedules meaning it can adhere to collection agreements and provide a top quality service. Cawleys does just that, and in addition it has dedicated account managers providing one point of contact to help businesses stay on top of their schedules and review them on a regular basis.
Rev up your recycling rates
Eco-credentials are more important than ever to today’s businesses. The world has woken up to the problem of waste and a company that can show it is reducing, re-using and recycling will be far more attractive to consumers than one that doesn’t. As such, maximising recycling rates is vital.
Luckily, logistics and distribution firms often have waste that consists of large volumes of card and plastic. These are both items than can be baled easily and processed for recycling. Cawleys infinity scheme arranges separate collections of this type of waste and can provide detailed reports outlining the weights of this waste and the amount that is recycled.
Education, education, education
Reducing waste comes down to educating those that work within your business. Identifying and segregating different waste streams at the original point of disposal can go a long way to boosting recycling rates. For example, keeping card clean and dry is essential for it to be recycled effectively. Companies such as Cawleys offer unique educational programmes such as our Small Action Big Impact campaign that involves our team being on-site to engage with employees and customers to teach them more about the benefits and practicalities of recycling.
Minimise the miles
Logistics and distribution companies know only too well how important it is to work towards minimising carbon emissions. With this in mind, it makes sense to consider how far your waste will be travelling, and indeed how far the collection vehicles have travelled to get to your premises in the first place.
As a local Bedfordshire based company, Cawleys have depots across the region which means we can take your waste to whichever depot is closest. Our location close to the M1 (and the middle of the country) means that many distribution and logistics companies are also located in the Bedfordshire, Buckinghampshire and Northamptonshire regions. Our close proximity to many of these distribution warehouses means that we are in a great position to help our logistics clients cut their waste miles. Furthermore some of our clients have chosen to actually utilise their own vehicles by shipping waste from wider locations back to a central depot using their own returning lorries and trucks to do so.
Cut costs
Businesses know that they make profit, not only by increasing sales but also by cutting costs. In most instances segregating waste for recycling and diverting it away from black bag waste will help to cut disposal costs. General waste is charged on weight and certain heavier waste streams such as food and glass can really push costs up if they are included in black bag waste. It’s a similar story for bulky items such as cardboard – in lots of cases Cawleys clients find that installing a baler or compactor can really help reduce bottom line prices.
Ultimately, Cawleys are the perfect waste partner for logistics companies and distribution warehouses in the region. Contact us for more information or a FREE waste audit today.