Retail large format stores - Media Markt
Media Markt reduced their collection costs by 40%
Previously the Dutch chain store for electronics, Media Markt, saw 75% of their waste end up in a container unsorted. This was too costly and inefficient. Now almost every store has a baler for cardboard and plastics and an EPS-compactor for Styrofoam.
Waste handling at Media Markt
Media Markt used to collect 75% of their waste in containers unsorted. A costly, inefficient and definitely non sustainable procedure. Time for a change, the holding decided. In 2009 almost every store has a baler for cardboard and plastics and an EPS-compactor for Styrofoam.
“When comparing business results with our sister company Saturn in Germany, it showed that they sorted 95% of their waste. In Holland we did not even reach 25%, and on top of that collection costed us 900.000 Euros every year”, says Rick van der Linden, facility manager at Media Markt-Saturn Holding Holland. “We can and want to do better than that. Also because the group works toward a greener image.”
The electronics group doesn’t operate from central warehouses. Every store keeps its own range of goods in stock. For their packing materials, some of the Dutch shops already used balers rented from their waste collector. Others threw everything into 2500 litre containers. At each and every shop, the waste collector had to come by daily.
Effective cross cylinders
The first moneysaver was leasing from Bramidan. Up until then, some of the establishments used rented Bramidan balers that performed very satisfactorily. Rick: “Reliable, tidy looking machines, with a wide filling opening so you don’t have to cut up or flatten anything. Very important to us is the strong cross cylinders that eliminates the risk of the press plate breaking off. That happened to us with machines by another manufacturer. Something we obviously don’t want to happen again.”
40% cut in costs
Bramidan offered a complete solution. Most stores now have a X30 for cardboard and plastics, with the exception of those that have their expedition on an elevated level. The floors wouldn’t be able to support the 2000 kilograms weight of the machine. They continue to work with outdoor press containers, rented from a waste collector. Some 90% of the shops also has an EPS-press. It tears the very light but tremendously voluminous Styrofoam into small pieces and subsequently compresses it into a handy blocks, thereby reducing its size by up to 90%. That clears up a lot of space in the warehouse. It’s only in smaller shops that the EPS-press isn’t profitable. Soft plastic waste is collected in recycling racks, until the amount of filled bags is sufficient to be pressed into a bale.
Now the waste collector comes by only twice a week, which means a huge 40% cut in costs. The recyclable waste even yields money that is used to pay for transportation. Rick says; “Our main advantage is, however, that less waste is going to the incinerator.”
Our main advantage is, however, that less waste is going to the incinerator.
— Rick van der Linden, Facility Manager, Media Markt
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