PLASTICS & INJECTION MOULDING
How closed loop plastic recycling and nearshore suppliers can turn manufacturing into a more sustainable sector
By Matt Pryce, Managing Director, Heyside Group W
ith plastic product producers and suppliers alike facing increasing demands to work more sustainably,
closed loop recycling is helping to turn a once carbon-intensive sector, into an industry having a much more positive impact on waste reduction across the UK and Ireland If you don’t know the term, closed loop recycling, it refers to a process where waste is collected and remanufactured to make products that are similar to the original products created, reusing materials that are taking up valuable yard space, or worse still, destined for landfill sites. Some of the most well-known examples of it include where used PET bottles are cleaned and reprocessed into new bottles, and where LDPE film is remade into new bags or packaging. Here at Heyside though, we’re using it to
divert over 300 tonnes of high-quality, post- consumer and pre-industrial thermoplastic material, away from UK landfill sites every week. As manufacturers of products for the traffic management and construction sectors, we also recycle end-of-life stock from our own customers, regrinding, remoulding and sending products back out for reuse on roads and onsite.
THE BENEFITS OF CLOSED LOOP RECYCLING FOR MANUFACTURERS AND SUPPLIERS
For manufacturers, making products in a closed loop process, especially when using recycled materials from products you’ve already made, means you have greater quality control over what you produce.
Remaking things from existing infrastructure
that’s been proven to last the test of time, albeit with the natural scuffs that will occur on high-use items like cones or barrier feet, certifies that the plastic used has proven durability, maintaining integrity even when recycled multiple times. It also means a reduced carbon footprint, as it requires less energy for production than using virgin plastics, lowering your emissions. This in turn benefits suppliers, who are starting to turn more frequently to their wider supply chains as part of their own sustainability goals. At Heyside, our customers prefer not to fill a skip with end of life products, they choose to
instead palletise the end of life products and return them to us to be processed. This reduced dependency on virgin plastics
makes for a more resilient supply chain on the whole, making sure you and your chosen supply chain partners can meet clients’ needs when others can’t.
BEYOND PRODUCTION: THE SHIFT TOWARDS LOCALISATION
It’s often not enough to simply produce more sustainably or buy from sustainably producing suppliers when you’re looking to reduce your overall carbon footprint. When industrial products are shipped from the far reaches of the world, usually via ocean freight, it adds to your carbon emissions, not to mention the fluctuating container charges you’ll face. For decades, manufacturers in the UK and Ireland have relied heavily on offshore supply chains for plastic components and tooling, driven by lower unit costs in countries like China. But while yes, historically manufacturers and
suppliers have seen big cost savings, that model is under increasing pressure. Worldwide markets are now much more volatile, with material shortages, trade wars, and shipping disruption leaving some manufacturers in the lurch.
26 September/October 2026 Irish Manufacturing
Globalisation, the process of increasing interconnectedness between places and people across the world is being replaced by deglobalisation, where interdependence between countries is reduced. If you want to reduce the impact that events happening 1000s of miles away from your business have on your production and stock, it’s a good idea to look at building a more local supply chain. By focusing on nearshore suppliers, you can avoid the pitfalls of distant, complex logistics networks. This proximity allows for closer collaboration, meaning immediate troubleshooting during the critical stages of development, as well as the ability to easily watch the manufacturing process first- hand at your supplier’s site.
A common misconception is that offshore moulding is always cheaper. In reality, the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) tells a different story, closing the gap between the UK and Ireland, and further afield offshore injection moulding manufacturing. Deglobalisation represents a big change in how the manufacturing sector operates. For businesses that rely on others to produce products for them, or manufacturers that have critical material needs in their production, supply chain resilience should be a priority.
heysidegroup.com
www.irish-manufacturing.com
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