05/04/2012

Renewable Products - Making The Most Of Waste

Renewable Products Ltd has expanded its product range, safeguarded jobs and made significant cost savings with the assistance of Invest Northern Ireland's Industrial Symbiosis (IS) service.

The company, based near Larne, produces high quality sustainable products, like animal bedding and landscaping products, from waste wood and plastics. As a result of its participation in the IS programme, Renewable Products has invested almost £200,000 in new processing equipment, which has led to cost savings, and additional sales of almost £500,000.

The IS service is part of Invest NI’s portfolio of support for businesses that want to reduce costs while improving their sustainability.

Renewable Products needed to identify additional sources of wood and plastic to develop innovative products. It saw the value of applying IS principles to its processes and attended a number of workshops where it was introduced to other businesses that could potentially provide the wood and plastic. The IS team maintained regular contact with the company providing support and introducing it to other businesses.

A recent innovation for Renewable Products came through collecting old lorry curtains which are trimmed and shipped to a company in Switzerland, where they are made into high value handbags and satchels. Waste wood, which previously ended up in landfill sites, is reprocessed into animal bedding and wood chip for play parks. This product was used recently for landscaping at the Ecos Centre in Ballymena.

Olive Hill, Invest NI's Director of Technology and Process Development, said: "This is an excellent result for Renewable Products, which has used the linkages with other companies that were facilitated by the IS service to identify sources of material that it can recycle into new products. The company is a good example of what can be achieved through industrial symbiosis."

(CD)

Related Northern Ireland Business News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

21 June 2019
DAERA Publish Guide To Importing Wood Products
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has published a field guide for forestry traders importing wood and bark into Northern Ireland. The NI Wood and Bark Import Requirements set out restrictions which must be met when importing controlled material into the region.
20 March 2012
Foster Announces £3m Investment By Ballymoney Company
Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has announced that Ballymoney company McAuley Engineering is investing almost £3million in new product development and market diversification with support from Invest Northern Ireland.
10 October 2014
JTI Gallaher To Close Ballymena Factory
Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster has expressed her deep regret at the announcement by JTI Gallaher that it plans to close its Ballymena factory in 2017. Arlene Foster said: “"This announcement is devastating news for the affected workers, their families and the local community as a whole.
06 October 2011
NI Plastics Firm Secures International Business
An NI plastic products manufactuer has secured a significant business deal for its PVC products. Boomer Industries in Lisburn has signed off on a deal with a new customer in Saudi Arabia for its PVC products including pre-hung door systems.
04 July 2011
RNAS Air Day Backed By Construction Firm
The Royal Navy Service Station (RNAS) Yeovilton International air day, has come around once again - and is being backed by a leading building sector firm.