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£25m signage business slashes non-recyclable waste with strategic partnership
A £25m turnover signage company has successfully reduced its non-recyclable waste by a third in just one year, thanks to a strategic partnership with a leading recycling firm.
Spandex, a company specialising in signage for the construction, architecture, and automotive sectors, took decisive steps to streamline its waste operations in February last year.
Since then, its Aztec West site, which employs around 100 staff, including 20 in its warehouse, has seen a significant reduction in non-recyclable waste.
Grundon, with sites in St Philip’s and Bishop’s Cleeve has helped Spandex reach the sustainability milestone.
According to Grundon, just over 48 tonnes of non-recyclable waste were recorded in the 12 months leading up to February 2025.
Eddie Edge, warehouse and logistics manager at Spandex, said: “We’re really pleased with our performance in recycling.
“We were looking to streamline the services provided previously by four or five different waste and recycling companies. Now we have one point of contact, which works much better from both a communication and practicality perspective.”
Grundon, with sites in St Philip’s and Bishop’s Cleeve has helped Spandex reach the sustainability milestone – photo: TurnTheTables
The company now enjoys greater visibility into its waste reduction efforts, thanks to a dedicated portal that tracks the monthly reduction in tonnage.
“It’s also clear that our trends in terms of recycling and waste segregation are heading in the right direction, along with the positive impact on our CO2 emissions,” Edge added.
“The main benefit, however, has been the elimination of the logistical challenges. The time savings are immeasurable – we can leave this aspect of our business to the experts, allowing us to focus on other areas of operation.”
Founded nearly 50 years ago, Spandex has grown from a small private business to a multinational group, with global turnover exceeding £370 million.
The company (unrelated to the elasticated fabric of the same name) is currently experiencing significant growth in the luxury vehicle wrapping sector.
Nick Malvern, regional sales lead at Grundon, said: “It’s always a pleasure to see the improvements we bring to local businesses.
“Spandex is expanding into the automotive vehicle wrapping and windscreen protection markets, which will bring new challenges in terms of waste management and recycling.”
Malvern assured that Grundon would continue to support Spandex with the necessary advice and technical expertise as the company ventures into new markets.
Grundon Waste Management, a Bristol-based waste expert, is the UK’s largest family-owned supplier of integrated waste management and environmental services.
Main photo: Barbara Evripidou
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