Agritel | Packaging News

Meaner and greener with high-performance stretchwrap

Administrator — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:13:00 +0000

- 17 March 2008

Pallet wrapping needn't cost the earth. Companies seeking to reduce their expenditure on, and consumption of, pallet wrapping material need look no further than Agritel's range of high-performance stretchwrap. Switching from standard to high-performance film brings the dual benefit of saving money and reducing environmental impact.

"Our high-performance film is very strong and each roll goes an incredibly long way," explains John Duffus, Managing Director. "Trials show that it's possible to reduce the quantity of plastic used by as much as 60%, generating significant cost savings."

Read more in Profit Pointers and take the Agritel challenge: if we can't save you money, we'll give you £200!

See the difference! Compare the film needed to wrap one pallet: standard film (left) and high-performance film (right).

Wholesaler reduces waste disposal costs by 50% through using cardboard baling machine

Administrator — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:12:00 +0000

- 18 February 2008

A Shropshire company has seen its waste management costs reduce by 50% since installing a waste cardboard baling machine at its warehouse just over six months ago.

Shrewsbury-based fruit and vegetable wholesaler Rowlands & Co (Shrewsbury) Ltd purchased the Agri-mac V75 from Agritel Ltd, who also supply recycling equipment, industrial packaging materials and pallet wrappers to companies throughout the West Midlands and Wales.

Established in 1894, Rowlands & Co has a long history and an excellent reputation for providing quality produce to catering companies, restaurants, private schools, independent and well-known medium-sized supermarkets and local stores. In 2007 the company expanded through acquisition and as a result its volume of waste packaging also increased.

Peter Rowlands, Director, explains: “Previously we piled all of our cardboard into skips, but after the acquisition we became busier so disposing of the cardboard in this manner became costly and time consuming. Agritel had supplied us with pallet wrap material for a number of years and, after recommendation, we decided to purchase a baler from them too. It was a smart move because we have reduced both the volume of cardboard waste and our disposal costs by 50%. The baler will have paid for itself within the first year and we are considering part-exchanging the current one for a double-chamber model which allows the production of cardboard and plastic bales in one machine.”

John Duffus, Managing Director at Agritel, said: “Agritel is developing a good track record in support and advice on recycling to local businesses and Rowlands is no exception. Our aim is to provide alternatives to traditional waste disposal which is often more expensive, whether hiring skips or taking directly to landfill sites. The example of Rowlands highlights that by adopting recycling solutions businesses can be both environmentally friendly and save money!”

Pictured, from left: Peter Rowlands (Director, Rowlands & Co) and John Duffus (Managing Director, Agritel).

Agritel launches glass bottle crushing machine

Administrator — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:28:00 +0000

- 18 January 2008

Oswestry-based Agritel Ltd has been appointed the UK’s sole distributor for a glass bottle crushing machine aimed at cost-effective and convenient recycling for bar, night club, hotel and restaurant owners.

Launched on the back of Agritel’s popular range of waste plastic and cardboard balers, the Agri-mac BC Bottle Crusher is available to purchase, rent or lease from as little as £25 per week. It operates from a standard 240V electricity supply, accepts all sizes, colours and shapes of bottles and is supplied with a standard 140-litre wheelie bin which sits in a cupboard beneath the crush chamber.

The Agri-mac, which won a Shell Live Wire Award For Innovation 2006, can crush up to 600 small lager bottles in 10 minutes, approximately 2 tonnes per hour. The loading chute is set at an angle to the rotor blades and anti-kickback flaps isolate the feed and crushing chambers from any stray glass shards. The BC05 model has a dust extractor for operation in confined spaces and optional extras include a remote switch and extended chute for loading direct from bar to cellar.

Agritel’s John Morgan believes the Agri-mac has a number of advantages over conventional bottle disposal. He said: “Our research has shown that some bars and clubs are paying up to £300 a month for their glass to be collected. As a result of crushing bottles into 12mm cullets the Agri-mac provides an 85% reduction in the volume of glass to be stored prior to collection. Where collections are charged by volume as opposed to weight, these significant cost and space savings have already generated a great deal of interest in the product. If local councils do not collect crushed glass, we have agreements in place with a number of recycling companies to arrange collections at times convenient to the customer.”

Pictured, from left: John Morgan (Agritel) and Stuart Brown (manager, Grazia Restaurant, Shrewsbury) trialling a bottle crusher.

RAPS: a new service for improved waste management

Administrator — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 09:09:00 +0000

- 2 July 2007

Agritel Ltd, the Oswestry-based supplier of packaging products and recycling equipment, has introduced a new service to help businesses improve their management of waste material. The Recycling Advice and Planning Service (RAPS) is aimed at any company that needs to dispose of material such as plastic, cardboard, bottles, cans, oil drums and filters.

The RAPS concept is simple: Agritel carries out a survey of the company’s current and projected waste production, and makes suggestions for improved waste management.

“Agritel is well known as a supplier of transit packaging, but we also have a growing reputation for our expertise at the other end of the cycle,” says John Morgan, Sales Director. “We offer compaction equipment for a wide range of waste material, and provide an ongoing service by arranging collection and recycling of the compacted waste.

“Companies such as Kemira GrowHow, JSR Farms and Anchor Storage are already working with us and are seeing real benefits from improvements to their waste strategies.”

With waste disposal subject to ever-tightening controls and escalating costs, Agritel’s recycling solutions are environmentally responsible and can significantly reduce expenditure. And now RAPS, a no-cost, no-obligation service, gives individual companies the chance to assess the potential benefits for themselves.

Pictured, from left: John Duffus (Managing Director) and John Morgan (Sales Director) launch RAPS

Agritel secures deal with major European manufacturer

Administrator — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 16:23:00 +0000

- 5 February 2007

Shropshire-based packaging supplier Agritel Ltd has secured a new distribution deal with Europe's largest manufacturer of LDPE products, covering an extensive range of stretchfilm, bubblewrap and tapes.

What does this mean for Agritel's customers? "The ability to bulk-buy direct from the manufacturer brings obvious cost benefits," explains John Morgan, Sales Director. "Our aim is always to supply value for money; this new deal means that we can offer a wider range of top-quality products than ever before, and all at highly competitive prices.

"A further advantage is that in addition to standard products, we can now provide tailor-made lines such as coloured or printed films. For example, we recently supplied a machine stretchwrap overprinted with the customer's company name; it's an unusual and surprisingly cost-effective form of branding."

Agritel's policy is, wherever possible, to source product from ISO-accredited European manufacturers, where quality and continuity of supply is assured.

"We want our customers to keep coming back," says Managing Director John Duffus. "Of course price is important, but quality and service must also be spot-on. We evaluate new suppliers very carefully; we don't want to let our customers down."

To ensure that prospective customers are happy with product quality, Agritel can usually supply a 'try before you buy' sample.

"Really, we're just doing what we've always done: working hard to keep costs down and quality up, and to serve our customers well," adds Morgan. "But this latest addition to our supplier list brings an extra dimension to our business, and strengthens our product offering."

Pictured, from left: John Duffus, John Morgan

Our survey says ...

Administrator — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 15:46:00 +0000

- 5 February 2007

Agritel's commitment to customer service is vindicated by responses to the ongoing Customer Satisfaction Survey, introduced in 2004 as part of the company's ISO9001:2000 procedure.

Every month, a random selection of customers is polled for feedback on Agritel's handling of a recent order. Analysis of responses during the past year reveals a 98.9% satisfaction rate, with only two minor problems reported. In both cases, Agritel had addressed the issue quickly and to the customer's complete satisfaction.

When asked for their overall impression, customer feedback was unfailingly positive, ranging from "Good" to "Brilliant", with many commenting on Agritel's friendly and helpful service.

John Duffus, Managing Director, says: "We view the Customer Satisfaction Survey as an important measurement tool, giving an up-to-date snapshot of our customers' perception of our performance. Because it is carried out by telephone, we find that customers frequently offer extra comments which help us better understand - and respond to - their needs and priorities."

Baling machine completes jigsaw in countrywide recycling operation

Administrator — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 11:12:00 +0000

-20 November 2006

One of the UK’s largest privately-owned farming businesses is leading the way in agri-recycling with help from a Shropshire industrial and agricultural packaging supply business.

Based in Southburn, East Yorkshire The JSR Farming Group (JSR) was established in 1957 by John Sykes Rymer and now employs 135 people, farming 3,825 ha of arable land, as well as being a global player in pig production and genetics. Oswestry based Agritel Ltd supplies industrial packaging materials, business stationery, recycling equipment, and pallet wrappers to companies throughout the UK.

JSR’s commitment to recycling goes back to 1997 when technical director Philip Huxtable was involved in the set-up of a pilot project investigating alternative methods to burning waste plastic. The project was temporarily shelved in 2000 as a result of the decline in the agricultural industry but with European legislation pending, interest was revitalised in 2003. With support from agro-chemical distributor Agrovista - an associated LEAF¹ member - and recycling company Recovered Plastics, a scheme was launched in May 2005.

There were still difficulties, as Huxtable explains: “We had everything in place: Agrovista collecting from their customers and delivering to our hub and Recovered Plastics collecting from us to recycle. Whilst items such as seed and feed bags were relatively easy to store and transport, chemical containers posed more of a problem. A wagon can carry approximately 2.5 tonnes of empty containers but half of that load is essentially fresh air, so the exercise is not very space- and cost-effective. Options included a plastic shredder and a mobile granulator, but further research led us to Agritel. After trials with two sizes of baler we purchased an Agri-mac V400 machine in August this year. Containers and seed/fertiliser bags are now crushed into dense, manageable bales for storage and so saving considerable costs on transport to Recovered Plastics' base at Wrexham.

Huxtable is pleased with the current arrangements and expects an increase in activity especially when the one-year legislative probationary period ends in May 2007, by which time all farmers will need to have found an environmentally-friendly method to dispose of waste plastic. He continues: “JSR produces six tonnes of waste plastic and Agrovista predict 1kg per hectare per year for each customer that comes on board, providing us with a huge potential market and sufficient quantities of plastic to run a cost-effective operation.”

John Duffus, managing director at Agritel said: “Many issues have been raised around the disposal of the various forms of agricultural plastic including its cleanliness, packaging, storage and transport. Agritel is developing a good track record in support and advice on recycling and I’m sure that the baler JSR has purchased will serve the various parties in their scheme very well, and enable farmers to comply with the legislation.”

Pictured at the baling machine are (left to right): Chris Foley, JSR; Philip Huxtable technical director, JSR; John Duffus, managing director, Agritel.

¹ Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF) is a charitable organisation working to develop and promote Intergrated Farm Management (IFM). LEAF helps farmers adopt the principles of IFM by providing practical guidelines and a comprehensive self-assessment audit. For further information, visit www.leafuk.org

Firm fined for failing to recycle packaging

Administrator — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 13:21:00 +0000

- 13 November 2006

A recent edition of the Shropshire Star reported on a Telford company that was handed a £35,000 bill after repeatedly ignoring environmental regulations.

The company admitted breaking recycling and packaging regulations by failing to take reasonable steps to recover and cycle packaging between 2002 and 2004, and failing to submit the necessary certificate of compliance between 2003 and 2006.

The offences were uncovered by an Environment Agency (EA) investigation. In its defence, the company said that it had been unaware of the regulations until contacted by the agency, had admitted the offences at the first opportunity and is now registered with a compliance scheme.
At Telford Magistrates’ Court in September the company’s representatives pleaded guilty to nine charges brought under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2005, and three other charges were taken into consideration. The company was fined £33,750 and ordered to pay £2,000 costs.

According to the EA, the aim of these regulations is to make businesses take responsibility for the packaging used in their operations and reduce the amount of packaging waste going into landfill. Its representative added that the EA does not hesitate in taking action against those who breach the legislation.

As this case illustrates, ignorance of the law is no defence. But the good news is that the Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) system offers a straightforward mechanism for compliance with the packaging waste regulations. Click here to find out whether your company is affected by this legislation, and to learn more about PRNs.

Bee-keeping suppliers benefit from mechanical pallet wrapper

Administrator — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 12:02:00 +0000

- 2 October 2006

A North Wales farmer who diversified into selling bee-keeping equipment has tripled output in the last year with help from a Shropshire industrial and agricultural packaging supply business.

C Wynne Jones of Ruthin in Denbighshire is a family-run business employing four people. Originally established by Wynne Jones as a smallholding in the early 1980s, the company decided to diversify its operations five years ago in response to turbulent events affecting the farming industry at the time. Having been an avid bee keeper Mr Jones rented out his land, used the farm buildings for storage and started supplying bee-keeping equipment to customers throughout the UK and Ireland.

In addition to hives, frames, gloves, clothing and apiary tools the company now sells bottles and jars after a number of requests for the products. He purchased a pallet-wrapping machine in October 2005 from Oswestry-based Agritel Ltd, who supply industrial packaging materials, business stationery, waste balers, and pallet wrappers to companies throughout the West Midlands and Wales.

Securing regular orders through their website at http://www.beesupplies.co.uk/, Tudor Jones, director at C Wynne Jones, thinks that the popularity of farmers’ markets, food festivals, home-grown and organic produce has resulted in their increased sales. He said: “This time last year we were shipping 50 pallets per week; it’s now in the region of 150 and I think the company would have struggled to match the demand had we not converted to using the mechanical pallet wrapper. Wrapping by hand is very laborious; consequently my time has been freed to concentrate on other areas of the business. In addition, using the machine is less strenuous and a long-term health and safety benefit.”

John Duffus, managing director at Agritel said: “With sales activity increasing at C Wynne Jones, the purchase of a mechanical pallet wrapper has made economic sense. Combined with the use of MimaLite - a very thin but strong pallet wrapping plastic which is twice the length of normal films, 100% recyclable and additive-free - the operation is environmentally friendly and also saves them money.”

Pictured at the pallet wrapping machine are (left to right): Tudor Jones, director, C Wynne Jones, Hâf Jones, director C Wynne Jones and John Duffus, managing director, Agritel Ltd.

A moving experience

Administrator — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 08:42:00 +0000

- 2 October 2006

A Shropshire industrial and agricultural packaging supply business has lanuched a new combined product aimed at the domestic market and in particular people moving home.

Oswestry-based Agritel Ltd supplies packaging materials, waste balers, pallet wrappers and small hand tools to companies throughout the West Midlands and Wales. Their removal pack is available to purchase online at http://www.agritel.co.uk/packaging_online.html for £99 including VAT and free delivery within a 30-mile radius of Oswestry. However, Agritel has appointed Shrewsbury-based estate agent Holland Broadbridge as an exclusive reseller of the pack to home movers in the local area.

Gary Holland, director at Holland Broadbridge, thinks the removal pack - consisting of twenty large cardboard tea-chest boxes, six rolls of parcel tape, a tape gun and a 100m roll of bubble wrap - could fill a niche in the market. He said: “We’ve had a number of requests from customers over the years for ideas to make their move less stressful. Agritel’s removal pack is one solution that will not only contribute to solving that problem but hopefully provide us with a useful customer service tool.”

John Morgan, sales director at Agritel said: “The idea for the pack came about after a friend complained about the trauma of moving house and how it would be useful to have a ready made kit to store valuables and similar items. Holland Broadbridge’s endorsement of the pack is a sign that there is potential demand from home movers and indeed we would welcome enquiries from estate agents throughout the rest of Shropshire interested in providing a service that may help secure new customers.”

Pictured with a removal pack are (from left): Gary Holland, director, Holland Broadbridge and John Morgan, sales director, Agritel

Agritel opens stationery store

Administrator — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 09:39:00 +0000

... STOP PRESS ... STOP PRESS ... STOP PRESS ... STOP PRESS ... STOP PRESS ...

We're pleased to announce that, with effect from 1 June 2006, Agritel has taken on the business goodwill of Oswestry-based stationery supplier C P Technical Solutions. We shall offer the same range of quality stationery products previously supplied by CP Technical Solutions, with the longer-term goal of adding new product lines according to customer demand.

Agritel has been supplying industrial packaging materials since 2001, operating throughout the UK but with a core client base in Shropshire, mid-Wales and the Marches. We aim to attract and retain business by offering value for money products backed by good old-fashioned customer service. We believe that our new stationery store complements and enhances our established activities.

Here's what we offer:

Competitive prices
Product delivered direct to your door
Next-day delivery for stock items
No minimum order quantity for stock items
Free delivery for customers within a 10-mile radius of our premises
30-day payment terms (subject to account status)
Regular promotions and special offers for subscribers to our email newsletter

Balers hit the road

Administrator — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 08:00:00 +0000

- Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer, June 2006

Machinery ring Eastern Agrilink is the latest farming business to develop a self-help solution to plastics disposal issues arising from the new Agricultural Waste regulations. Two members of the ring have each purchased an Agri-mac V250 mobile baling machine from Agritel, designed to compact farm plastics into manageable bales for recycling.

Eastern Agrilink reports strong interest in the service, which offers on-site compacting and the required audit trail. It will be provided by Byford Farm Services and R M Simeon.

Helping hand on recycling

Administrator — Mon, 01 May 2006 09:50:00 +0000

- Shropshire Star, 1 May 2006

A Shropshire company has helped an east of England agricultural machinery co-operative to launch a new waste plastic recycling service to farmers in their region.

Eastern Agrilink Ltd is a machinery ring covering Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, dedicated to helping its 380 members reduce fixed costs by sourcing equipment and services from fellow members who operate a lower cost structure.

Searching for a solution to the problem of environmentally-sound but cost-effective plastic waste disposal, two members of the machinery ring have each purchased a model 250 mobile baling machine from Oswestry-based Agritel Ltd, which supplies industrial and agricultural packaging materials and associated machines.

The new service will be provided by Byford Farm Services and R & M Simeon through Eastern Agrilink who will compact and collect a variety of plastics - including outer fertiliser bags and twine, film, liners, wrap, seed and feed bags, and spray cans - into manageable bales for recycling.

Vernon Nott, manager at Eastern Agrilink said: "We have had over 100 responses from members to date and although the environmental legistlation is not in place until May 15 we see the system as a highly cost-effective service with good audit tracking. In addition, the fact that the balers are mobile enables quick on-site compacting."

John Morgan, sales director at Agritel, said: "Our aim is to provide an extremely cost-effective solution to the issue of waste agri-plastic disposal, with a long-term sustainable system in place."

Clockwise from back row: Neil Byford (Byford Farm Services), Robert Simeon (R & M Simeon), Paul Goodchild (Eastern Agrilink Ltd), Vernon Nott (manager, Eastern Agrilink Ltd), John Morgan (sales director, Agritel Ltd)

Agritel customer sets standard by providing recycling solution to chemical container disposal

Administrator — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 10:24:00 +0000

- 7 March 2006

A north Shropshire farm supply business is capitalising on impending law change regarding agricultural waste disposal by offering its customers the facility to recycle their plastic chemical containers.

Established ten years ago, S A & D E Dixon Ltd runs its own broiler chicken farm, as well as supplying disinfectant chemicals to poultry farmers in Shropshire, north Herefordshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire and mid-Wales. Agritel Ltd, also Oswestry-based, supplies a variety of industrial and agricultural packaging materials, associated tools and machines to companies throughout the West Midlands and Wales.

Keen to find a way of adding value to its current service, S A & D E Dixon Ltd purchased a baling machine from Agritel early in summer 2005. Capable of producing bales up to 600kg in weight, the baler is typically used to compact a variety of plastics into manageable bales for recycling, and has helped the container collection service go from strength to strength.

Steve Dixon, partner at S A & D E Dixon Ltd, said: "Our aim is to take the hassle out of recycling and in the same way that milk is delivered, we collect the empties when a fresh delivery is made. Approximately 25% of the poultry farms we supply have taken up the service so far, and due to the versatility of the machine many of our other customers have also expressed an interest. When the Defra directive on waste disposal finally becomes law, I'm sure the figure will increase yet again."

John Morgan, sales director at Agritel, said: "Steve took a bold decision last year which is now paying off and providing an edge over his competition. Many of the alternative remedies to waste disposal are often more expensive, for example, hiring skips. In addition, he is creating an auditable paper trail for waste transfer which will stand both he and his customers in good stead in terms of waste disposal monitoring."

Baling waste chemical containers

Administrator — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 11:09:00 +0000

- 24 February 2006

One frequently-asked question is whether Agritel's waste balers can handle chemical containers. At an in-house trial earlier this month, Sales Director John Morgan demonstrated that the company's Agri-mac V250 waste baler is more than equal to the challenge.

"We started with 55 23-litre containers," explains Morgan. "As you can see, they more than half-filled our delivery van, but the AWB 250 took them in its stride.

"Next, we added 155 5-litre containers. Our photos show the loading aperture filled with 5-litre containers, and demonstrates how effectively each one is crushed."

The end result? 55 23-litre and 155 5-litre containers compressed into just over half a bale, weighing approximately 100kg.

"We would like to have made a bigger bale, but that's all we had!" comments Morgan. "Based on this trial, a full bale could hold up to 450 10-litre containers, and would weigh around 250kg.

"Comparing the loose and baled volumes, it's clear that the baled material will be far more cost-effective to transport, and offers a more economic and sustainable option for disposal."

For further information call John Morgan or John Duffus on 01691 671496.

Click here to download our Baling Waste Chemical Containers leaflet in pdf format.
File size 190KB. This document will open in a new window.

Firm reaps the benefits

Administrator — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 10:11:00 +0000

- Shropshire Star, 10 January 2006

Only one month after installing a baling machine to help recycle cardboard packaging waste, a leading Shropshire garden centre is already appreciating the benefits.

Moreton Park Garden Centre near Chirk was established eight years ago. Operating as a retail, non-nursery outlet it sells 62,000 product lines, employs eighty local people and has a catchment area extending north to Liverpool, south to Worcester and well into Wales.

The new 400kg baler was purchased from Oswestry-based Agritel Ltd which supplies industrial and agricultural packaging materials, associated tooling and equipment to companies throughout the West Midlands and Wales. Having trialled a number of smaller machines in the past, Robert Butler, manager at Moreton Park, opted for a larger model based on the time saved from ease of loading.

He said: “The use of this baler is part of an overall approach by the centre to become more environmentally friendly and in this case reduce on our landfill contribution. We already recycle rainwater for irrigation purposes and return plant packaging trays and frames to suppliers. Although we bought the baler outright, eliminating weekly skip hire will result in a long-term cost saving. In addition, the delivery area at the rear of the building where the baler is situated is much tidier and thus safer for our staff.”

Apart from supplying the machine Agritel also provides a collection service for the bales to be recycled. John Morgan, Agritel sales director, said: “This is our first garden centre customer and because they are located close by we can monitor progress. However, I am confident that not only will they see the investment pay off financially but in environmental terms it is a positive step and simple solution to recycling large quantities of waste packaging.”

Pictured (from left): Robert Butler, Manager, Moreton Park Garden Centre and John Morgan, Sales Director, Agritel Ltd.

Plastic waste baling process gets thumbs up from Reading University agricultural centre

Administrator — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 08:48:00 +0000

- 30 September 2005

Reading University demo highlights difficulties in assessing volumes of waste

A Shropshire industrial and agricultural packaging supply business has received support from Reading University’s Centre for Dairy Research (CEDAR) in response to a recent demonstration on the disposal of waste plastic.

Oswestry-based Agritel organised the demonstration at the University in conjunction with East Berks Contracting – who have close links with the establishment. The event highlighted how un-manageable quantities of either silage or feed type bags can be compressed into a mill-sized bale as an economic, environmental and time saving way forward for farmers and farm contractors involved in the disposal process.

John Duffus, managing director at Agritel, said: “Although the imposition of environmental legislation on waste plastic disposal has been deferred until the beginning of December, the issue is still very important. Baling as opposed to filling skips with refuse is environmentally friendly and more cost effective. What may look like two tonnes of plastic in a skip, because of the physical space it takes up, is in reality often only 300 or 400 kilos. Therefore, basing disposal costs on volume rather than weight can result in farmers paying far more than they should to recycle their plastic. Also, uncompressed plastic can contain large quantities of water which is mostly removed by baling, keeping weight and hence recycling costs to a minimum. The demonstration at Reading University went very well and to receive their support is very encouraging.”

James Lamburn, farms manager at Reading University CEDAR said: “Baling has the long term potential of reducing costs, especially with ever increasing landfill prices and transport costs. It has huge implications for when the eventual ban on burning waste becomes law. In terms of farm health and safety, once a bale is complete it can be stored in a tidy, safe and sensible manner until collection for recycling. I was also surprised by the sheer quantity of plastic required to make just one bale! It is important to ensure farmers and contractors are aware of the benefits to be gained through using this process.”


Skip full of waste prior to baling	Plastic after baling process

Full results can be viewed as a pdf document or by contacting us.

UK reviews packaging waste recycling target

Administrator — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 08:45:00 +0000

- Plastics & Rubber Weekly, 26 August 2005

Higher targets for recycling plastics packaging waste were due to come into force across Europe last week. But so far only Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg and the UK have transposed the new EU packaging directive into national law.

The new target states 22.5% of plastics packaging waste should be recycled; the previous target was 15%. According to EU figures, five countries are already ahead of the new figure - Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Luxembourg. Bottom of the list were Greece and Portugal, recycling just 3% and 9% respectively.

The established EU member states have until the end of 2008 to meet the target. Recent entrants - mainly central and eastern European countries - have an extension until 2010, while Greece, Ireland and Portugal have a 2011 deadline. Environment commissioner Stavros Dimas said: "The new recycling targets are a further step on our way towards a more sustainable society. They strengthen the recyling industry. I am confident member states will do their utmost to implement the new rules swiftly."

Earlier this year, plastics packaging recycling body Recoup warned there was much to do in collection and recycling if the UK is to meet the 2008 targets. Chief Executive Andrew Simmons predicted a shortfall of 115,000 tonnes - 23% off the target - if the current situation continues.
Defra this week opened a consultation looking at future packaging recycling and recovery targets for businesses between 2006 and 2010. With six weeks until the deadline of 3 October, interested parties are urged to respond to the Consultation Paper on Meeting Directive Targets in 2008 with haste. Defra said the short timescale was necessary to introduce changes to the targets by 1 January 2006. The consultation includes proposals to amend the UK business targets up to 2008 and set indicative targets for 2009 and 2010. It will also investigate simplifying and clarifying the approval of compliance schemes.

Reproduced by kind permission of Plastics & Rubber Weekly.

Disposal of farm plastics

Administrator — Thu, 23 Jun 2005 14:23:00 +0000

- Royal Agricultural College, 23 June 2005

Agritel’s Sales Director John Morgan addressed a meeting of the Rural Enterprise Gateway Cotswold Waste Group held at the Royal Agricultural College recently. The meeting reviewed the implications of The Waste Framework Directive for farm waste disposal, and explored various schemes and future options for farmers and growers.

One of the problems highlighted at the meeting is the potential for misidentification of the weight of plastic ready for collection from the farm for reprocessing. Plastic looks bulky but is not that heavy, making it difficult to operate collection vehicles cost-effectively.

Susan Bamber’s meeting report states: “One way to overcome the problem of misidentification of weight of the plastic is to bale the plastic. Agritel sells machines that can bale plastic into a compressed form, of a known weight. Agritel is certified as a waste broker and can … make sure the customer’s farm is fully environmentally compliant with the new directive.”

For a full report on the meeting, click here.
Follow the link for information about Agritel’s range of waste balers.

Less is more: Agritel's solution for farm waste plastic disposal

Administrator — Fri, 10 Jun 2005 12:04:00 +0000

- 10 June 2005

A strong contingent of farmers and agricultural contractors turned out for Agritel's demonstrations of waste plastic balers last month. The Agri-mac V400 was the centre of attention and its performance certainly did not fail to impress.

"Although we always explain that the balers reduce waste volume by up to 90%, there's nothing quite like seeing the plastic disappearing before your very eyes!" said Agritel's Sales Director, John Morgan. "It's surprising how quickly a very large volume of waste plastic can be reduced to a single, readily-transportable bale."

The Agri-mac V400 produces a 500kg bale within one hour and, as Morgan explains, offers a cost-effective solution for farm waste management: "The total amount of waste plastic produced annually by the average farm can be compressed into one or, at most, two bales; this drastically reduces the cost of removal compared to handling loose plastic.

"If a group of ten farms bought a baler between them, we estimate that the farmers' expenditure on disposal could be halved, including the once-only cost of the baler. It would very quickly pay for itself."

The waste baler also offers a business opportunity for contractors, either by providing on-site baling services or by hiring out the machine.

The Agri-mac V250 is a smaller, more readily-transportable waste baler, producing 150 - 425kg bales. Both machines are simple to operate and robustly engineered to meet the demands of on-farm use.

"It's quick to load and operate the baler," adds Morgan, "especially if the waste is ready to go. And, as our visitors quickly realised, the process becomes even quicker if you are mindful of the need to minimise contamination and, as plastic accumulates throughout the year, handle it accordingly.

For more information, contact Agritel on 01691 671496.

Agritel acknowledges the support of Mr Simon Sturrock and Messrs G F Kempster & Sons who hosted the demonstrations.

Helping hand for farmers

Administrator — Mon, 04 Apr 2005 13:43:00 +0000

- Shropshire Star 4 April 2005

In response to impending environmental legislation a Shropshire business has put together a proposal for farmers that will help them fulfil their legal obligation concerning disposal of waste plastic - and also save them money.

Oswestry-based Agritel, which supplies industrial and agricultural packaging materials and associated machines throughout the West Midlands and Wales, is offering groups of farmers the option to purchase recycling balers. Endorsement from international agricultural consultants Promar International added weight and speed to rolling out the idea.

Typically a farm of 200 beef cattle and 300 sheep will pay £1,000 per year to dispose of waste plastic. Through the proposed scheme with Agritel, 10 farms buying one baler between them could halve that cost.

John Duffus, Managing Director at Agritel, said: "This is a simple concept. We sell a group of farmers a baler to produce mill-sized bales of between 400 and 600kg. They share the cost between them and when 10 or 20 tonnes of plastic has accumulated we can collect it for a nominal fee.

"Farmers who already purchase feed or fertiliser as a group will recognise the savings, although contractors who wish to extend their current baling service should not be ruled out either."
Promar International consultant Paul Henman said 100,000 tonnes of plastic is disposed of throughout the UK each year.

Reaping benefits

Administrator — Mon, 14 Mar 2005 14:26:00 +0000

- Shropshire Star, 14 March 2005

Just months after installing a baling machine to help recycle packaging waste, a customer to a Shropshire business is already capitalising on the benefits of a new collection service.

Located near Oswestry, Agritel supplies industrial and agricultural packaging materials, associated tooling and machines to companies throughout the West Midlands and Wales.

Herefordshire-based Zintec Feed Supplements manufactures feed supplements and proteins for livestock farmers in the UK, Ireland and Japan. Keen to find a cost-effective way to dispose of plastic and cardboard packaging material in an environmentally-friendly manner, Zintec decided to trial a new service on offer from Agritel. Customers who have bought or leased a baling machine can have their bales collected for recycling when new deliveries are made.

John Duffus, Managing Director at Agritel, said: "This is still a relatively new service provided by us. However, the interest so far has been very encouraging and for a business like Zintec it is a good solution for the effective disposal of waste packaging material. The use of a baler has also brought substantial cost benefits to their business."

Chris Williams, partner at Zintec, said: "We used to fill a general landfill skip every two weeks with a mixture of packaging materials. Prior to that we would store it all in the warehouse and have a company from South Wales come and collect it once a year. Both were expensive options and not practical in terms of storage space.

"We now separate the plastic from the cardboard and easily stack the 30-kilo bales for collection by Agritel. Through a reduction in volume of nearly 90 per cent, the warehouse looks much neater which is a health and safety benefit, and with impending environmental control for businesses, it has been good for us to get into the mindset of taking positive action on recycling."

Pictured: John Duffus (left), Agritel, and Chris Williams, Zintec, make light work of waste recycling.

County firm chosen

Administrator — Wed, 01 Dec 2004 14:18:00 +0000

- Shropshire Star, December 2004

A Shropshire company has been appointed one of only 24 distributors in the UK for an innovative shrink wrap product.

Oswestry-based Agritel, which supplies a variety of industrial and agricultural packaging materials, associated tooling and machines to companies throughout the West Midlands and Wales, is now approved to sell Mimalite.

The product is thin but strong pallet wrapping plastic. With a slippery surface on one side to ease loading and unloading onto trucks and at twice the length of normal films, it creates a "steel band" effect to prevent goods moving or becoming unstable in transit.

John Duffus, Managing Director at Agritel, said he expected a good response from his customers. "We ar very pleased to be appointed a distributor for Mimalite. It is 100 per cent recyclable, additive-free and fulfils all European waste management directives.

"For example, Marches Natural Food Products in Ludlow has just started using machine wrap Mimalite and already they've seen a 60 per cent reduction in the amount of packaging applied. So, in addition to being environmentally friendly, it will save our customers money."

Pictured: checking the strength of Mimalite - Ray Mantle, Director of Marches Natural Products plc (left) and John Duffus, Managing Director of Agritel Ltd.