Replacement prints save cassettes from landfill

With climate change at the front of our minds it is now more important then ever before for every single individual and every single company to be conscious of their carbon footprint. HFE Signs Ltd’s managing director Karl Hunter explains how the UK supplier is working towards greener signage

What measures are you taking as a company to reduce your carbon footprint?

HFE are very climate conscious. We constantly review our product range to see where improvements can be made – we have several products in the pipeline that will ultimately replace the materials that are either not recyclable or have a higher carbon footprint. We look at all aspects of the product and the supply chain too.

Currently, it is impossible for every product to be recyclable? Is there anything you can do to reduce the amount going into landfill?

Certainly – one of the most successful changes we’ve made is for roller banners. We encourage users to buy replacement prints rather than throw them away; this has already saved hundreds of cassettes going into landfill, and it’s saved money too.

How do you manage your waste, and have you reduced it to a minimum?

We have been working on this over the past two years. First of all we invested £25k in a printer that could deal with any size of material rather than sheets at a time; this meant we could print on almost all offcuts, a complete game changer for reducing waste. Secondly, it is inevitable from time to time we have a print problem, or we spot a typo and material is wasted – this is rare, but when it does happen, we offer printed signs with print on the reverse at a discounted rate. This is ideal for signs going against a wall, such as CCTV Signs or Warning Signs.

What material do you offer that can be recycled?

Foamex is the most popular material for printed signs. This is 100% recyclable and can be ground down, melted and recast – it can go through this process time and time again. Printed foamex is a great option for most types of signs as it is rigid and durable.

HFE Signs Ltd has been printing signs & banners since 1996 and has a perfect Trustpilot score. For more information see www.hfe-signs.co.uk