MP visits Listers to see green credentials
Posted on 31/08/2012
Going green, environmental awareness and eco-friendly are the words that have become part of our daily lexicon. Nearly every industry operates initiatives designed to help protect the planet and the future of our children. The glazing industry has its own environmental challenges and Lister Trade Frames of Stoke on Trent have made some remarkable and innovative advances to make their business more environmentally friendly.
Listers green initiatives recently attracted the attention of the Member for Parliament for Stoke -on-Trent Central, Tristram Hunt, who paid a visit to their production site to find out more about Listers activities and the company itself.
Mr Hunt was shown how Listers environmental policies stretch far beyond that of simply recycling office consumables and PVC offcuts. They have made a considerable investment to ensure that not only their own waste products but those of their Trade customers are diverted from Landfill and sent for recycling.
So dedicated are Listers that they have converted a large area of their premises into a recycling zone with dedicated skips and hoppers for the segregation of all the differing waste construction materials that their trade customers return to them.
"We were delighted that Tristram Hunt MP wanted to learn more about Listers efforts," commented MD Mark Warren, "it helps reinforce to our staff and customers the importance of the work we do supporting local businesses and helping the environment in any way we can."
Listers actively encourage their customers to bring them old window frames, plastics and other construction materials such as fascias and gutters etc so that they can be recycled. This means that their customers save money on waste disposal and the environment benefits too. An additional benefit is the unique selling position that this provides Listers' trade customers who can now demonstrate their own green credentials by using the service.
Three years ago when the scheme started, Listers sent 13 tonnes of old PVC frames to be recycled. This year they will have sent well over 100 tonnes plus another 120 tonnes of other plastics, cardboard and metals to be recycled. Not bad when you consider that they don't deal with the end user!
Tristram spent an hour touring the site and discussing the way that Listers like to operate. Listers also invited representitives of the British Plastic Federation (BFP) to attend so that they could explain the advances that companies like Listers are making on recycling PVCu materials.
"I was very impressed with the approach Listers have to business, the local community and environmental issues," remarked Tristram, "My priorities for the city are simple. I want to see private sector-led regeneration with more jobs and inward investment; and a more positive profile for the city. Listers success is helping Stoke in Trent become more successfull too."
For Listers, recognition by their local MP is much appreciated as a result of years of hard work and investment. "We're now using our service to help customers do their bit to protect the planet. And although it may be a drop in the ocean, it's never too small to make a difference." said Mark Warren.
