Smooth transition to recycled materials

About Tillex

Tillex is a Danish company founded in 1954 and specialises in the production and sale of fasteners. Today, the company is a leading player in cable clamps, plugs and other fastening solutions for e.g. building and electrical installations. All production takes place in their own facility in Ringsted, Denmark.

With a strong focus on quality, creativity and continuous product development, Tillex has built a well-known brand, especially in Scandinavia but also in several other European countries and continues to be driven by innovation and renewal.

The challenge

Tillex wanted a more sustainable packaging solution for their JETR 160 bucket, and therefore the decision was made to switch to recycled materials. The initiative was taken in consultation with the customer and the requirement was clear: the solution must not involve any cost increase, reduced quality or longer delivery times.

It was also important to maintain the bucket's existing properties. Both strength, function and user-friendliness needed to be ensured, while the packaging's visual identity and professional expression had to be preserved.

Our solution

The solution was a strategic material change to 75% recycled PP material in PCR. By going from silver to the grey tone naturally found in recycled PP, it was possible to preserve the appearance of the bucket, and without having to add an extra masterbatch for the paint as before. The material transition also meant no obstacles to using the same printing method as with the previous bucket, which was offset printing, which further made it possible to retain the previous design and brand feel. To ensure continued high strength, the handle was retained in virgin PP material.

Since buckets made of recycled materials are already in our standard range and can be stocked, the transition was smooth with a continued delivery time of 3-4 weeks.

The result

The transition to the new version of the bucket meant:

• 75% recycled PCR material

• Unchanged delivery time of 3-4 weeks

• Unchanged cost

• Maintained strength with virgin material handles

The result was a more sustainable packaging solution with the same high quality, design and functionality, without negatively affecting price or delivery capacity.

This project shows that a transition to recycled materials does not have to involve any compromises in terms of quality, design or cost. At the same time, we can now offer our customers a bucket with a lower climate footprint and that is right on time.

-Mikael Gabrielsson, Sales Manager, Tillex