In an era where waste reduction and sustainability are increasingly prioritised by customers and contractors alike, new and innovative solutions are required. Recognising this, AkzoNobel is piloting bulk packaging to limit the number of paint cans used for larger projects and reduce subsequent waste.
Commercial painting and decorating contractor (and Dulux Connect member) A.C. Beck & Son has been trialling the new packaging solution for its work at The Morello Apartments in Croydon. The team were called in by principal contractor, Sir Robert McAlpine, to decorate 456 new build apartments, spread over three tower blocks. The team started the programme of works in August 2022 and are due to complete by the end of 2023.
Steve Beck, Managing Director at A.C. Beck & Son, said: “Improving sustainability is high on our business’ agenda and continued innovation from manufacturers like AkzoNobel is needed to ensure we can minimise our impact – and that of the wider painting and decorating community – as much as possible.
“We are proud to be working with AkzoNobel and trialling its latest sustainability solution: bulk packaging. It is so important for those in the trade to be part of the process and test what will (and won’t) deliver the desired results and move the sustainability dial. I am a real advocate for its use and have seen the positive impact it has on waste reduction across our projects.”
What is bulk packaging?
For large projects, the conventional practice of packaging paint in individual 10L containers can result in a significant amount of plastic waste – especially if the cans are not recycled. With waste reduction targets becoming increasingly common across the industry, AkzoNobel recognised the need to find a more sustainable alternative.
It is currently trialling bulk 170L reusable containers to provide customers with the paint they need in more sustainable packaging.
A selection of Dulux Trade paints – including Dulux Trade Fast Matt in White and Dulux Trade Supermatt in White and Almond White – are now available in the large format reusable containers. These are ideal for large new or retrofit projects spanning a wide range of sectors, including housing, education, healthcare and commercial premises.
Duncan Lochhead, Commercial Sustainability Manager at Dulux Decorator Centre, commented: “The sustainability benefits of using the bulk containers improves the more they are used. If they are used twice or more, the bulk units become a more sustainable packing solution than the 10L packs. Each container is cleaned and refilled, so no packaging goes to waste.”
Product in practice: The Morello Apartments
Speaking on the company’s work at The Morello Apartments in Croydon, Luke Beck, Director at A.C. Beck & Son, said: “We specified Dulux Trade Fast Matt for several reasons – but its ability to be supplied in bulk was a significant draw. The project is working to the BREEAM sustainable buildings framework, and selecting Dulux Trade as our paint manufacturer for the project was key to supporting us with meeting sustainability targets.”
Luke added: “It has been a seamless transition over to bulk packaging. We’ve had a lot of good feedback from the team regarding the larger containers; they find them easy to use and have effortlessly adapted to the slightly new way of working.”
A.C. Beck & Son has partnered with Dulux Decorator Centre for many years, benefitting from the team’s technical support at every stage of a project. They also benefit from a reliable delivery service. Luke said: “For this project, we have been working to quite tight deadlines and the Dulux Decorator Centre team has shown exceptional service to provide product as we need it.”
AkzoNobel’s bulk packaging pilot is a significant step towards reducing the amount of waste produced by the decorating industry. Duncan concludes: “It is innovative solutions like bulk packs that are exactly what we need to make positive changes to the footprint and impact of our industry.”
For more information on Dulux Decorator Centre’s sustainability solutions, visit: www.duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk/our-sustainability-story
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