Recycling trays – stacks up to be the biggest
In the biggest project of its kind in the UK, three and a half million plastic food distribution trays are being recycled by Gist and M&S.
New standardised metric sized food trays have been introduced by the logistics industry and Gist and M&S are making the move from imperial to metric by recycling 100% of their plastic food distribution trays – eliminating the need to use virgin plastic.
It is extremely unusual for food distribution trays to be made out of purely recycled plastic in this way. M&S and Gist, one of the UK’s leading logistics providers, have achieved this thanks to a recycling process that maintains the quality of the plastic so that it can be completely reused without adversely affecting the performance, durability or expected life of the tray. The process is highly efficient with only 3% waste, the majority of which is due to old packaging labels and remoulding processes.
David Ellison, business manager at Gist says, “This is a major undertaking. Few metric trays in the industry have been made from recycled plastic until now so it is really exciting to be involved in doing it on this scale. The new trays are smaller and easier to handle and have a smarter design so they will help increase efficiency, adding to the quality of service we give to our customer.”
The smaller trays are more flexible too and enable wasted space in the delivery vehicles to be reduced by 15%.
M&S is a key customer for Gist which manages the majority of the company’s chilled and ambient food distribution supply chain. Gist delivers millions of plastic distribution trays a year to M&S stores up and down the country from Gist sites at Barnsley, Crewe, Cumbernauld, Faversham, Hemel Hempstead and Thatcham. The recycling programme is underway and is expected to be completed by early 2004.
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Notes to editors
Gist combines leading edge experience and expertise to transform supply chains through intelligent application of innovative leading edge technology, unique solutions tailored to customers’ strategies, managing change and embracing and enhancing the supply chain proposition. With industry specific experience, expertise and excellence, Gist’s solutions bring end-to-end visibility and implementation, from concept to delivery.
Gist, based in the United Kingdom, has its head office at Basingstoke in Hampshire. However, Gist’s 4,500 employees operate out of 28 locations, providing a full range of intellectual and asset-based business offering in the UK, continental Europe, Asia, Australasia and North America.
Gist’s customers (including Ocado, Marks & Spencer, British Airways, Carlsberg UK and Budgens) operate in a wide range of commercial and industrial sectors, including grocery, electronics, apparel and gas.
As part of the BOC Group, which serves two million customers in more than 50 countries, Gist also benefits from BOC’s global capability, synergy and scale.
To find out more about Gist, for photography or to arrange an interview with the Gist team please contact the Gist press office:
Michele Mervin
Tel: 01256 891111
Fax: 01256 891122
Email: Michele.mervin@gistworld.com
