United Kingdom - 2014
Domain of application: Regional
Status: Existing
F-Board is a an innovative UK company manufacturing scaffolding boards with 100% recycled plastic, The company’s boards are not only stronger than wooden ones, they are also safer. They have a non-slip surface and do notwarp, twist or bend, and therefore last longer. But even at the end of the long life of a scaffold board, the plastic lives on as it is recycled into new boards resulting in less waste and further benefits in terms of health and safety.
F-Board has set up an entirely closed-loop supply chain: boards are manufactured in the UK using 100% recycled UK plastic and at the end of their useful life, when the company buys them back from its customers, they are converted into new boards. As a result, this operating model contributes to reduce pressure upon the natural environment since plastic is diverted from landfill, no virgin timber is required and there are no carbon emissions deriving from trans-continental transportation such as in the case of wooden boards. F-Board business model contemplates an alternative revenue model too: boards can be bought as well as leased.
Overall, F-Board product and processes adopt a number of innovative features:
- recycled raw materials
- local (materials sourced and manufactured in the UK)
- extended product durability
All of these features are key requirements for a business model that accords with the principles of the circular economy.
