Interface Forms Partnership with Carpet Recyclers
LaGrange, GA, May 7, 2012 -- Interface said it is finalizing a strategic partnership with The Carpet Recyclers, a La Mirada, Califoria-based business.
The Carpet Recyclers, since its establishment two years ago, has diverted more than 150 million pounds of used carpet from landfills, saved over 15 million gallons of oil and created more than 100 green jobs, Interface said.
Interface said the deal represents an aggressive expansion of its own carpet recycling system, ReEntry, to encompass carpet recycling specialists in regional hubs throughout North America. It wants to work with both established firms and start-ups.
"In a nutshell, Interface's goal is to close the loop on our raw materials supply chain, and in our case that means we're working toward eliminating use of petroleum in our products," said John Wells, Interface Americas president.
"It also means the alternative non-virgin materials we use in place of oil must be plentiful and readily available, and so we've turned to recycling and processing not only our own end-of-use carpet tiles, but those of other manufacturers, along with the broadloom discards of the entire industry. The technology in place in our own ReEntry facility is able to transform this flooring trash into reusable fiber that goes back into producing our new products. It closes the loop."
Interface said that the scarcity of post consumer nylon also is limiting the company's key yarn suppliers.
Earlier, Interface formed a partnership with Toronto start-up Aspera Recycling Inc. to expand its ReEntry program.
There, Interface is guiding Aspera on the technology to procure for its operations and the processing of carpet tile on the scale of ReEntry. A fall start date is anticipated.
"Broadening ReEntry to encompass regional hubs across the U.S. and Canada just makes the most sense," Wells said.
"There's no environmental saving in having to ship weighty carpet discards cross-country for recycling. So, the reduction in shipping costs and fuel needs is another reason we're pursuing satellite ReEntry operations."