A family business with a 70 year history must be doing a lot of things right but before we find out just what they are, can you give us a little background
Established in the 1950s Harry Sadler started the business trading in ex-army steel and wooden ammunition boxes which came from army ordinance depots throughout the country. Frank Sadler joined his father Harry and evolved the business to include the refurbishment and re-sale of wooden packing crates and pallets which were generated by the thriving motor industry in and around the Midlands. Early in the 1970s Frank was joined by his sons Mike and Rob at a time when the principle of segregating used boxes from cardboard waste was being established.
We quickly established a healthy demand from our local customers and the business expanded rapidly as we originated cardboard box reuse schemes across the country. We are proud to have been one of the pioneers of the principles of reclaiming used boxes from cardboard waste for the purpose of reuse.
In 2010 we launched our online business which has enabled us to sell to customers both in the UK and in Europe. We now have a healthy customer base of those who love the idea of reusing boxes, as well as those who want low-cost packaging.
Who are the next generation of Sadlers holding the reins at the moment?
The business is now run by the fourth generation: Gavin, Jordan and myself. Although our fathers Mike and Rob both retired recently they own the business and have involvement in the company's decision-making. It is great that we still have all of their experience and knowledge to draw upon, and can continue to build on the success and hard work of previous generations. We all manage different areas of the business but together the three of us are involved in sourcing supplies of used boxes and ensuring the success of our supplier relationships. We are now training up the fifth generation too, with Dylan joining us to help out during his university breaks.
Thinking in and out of the box has been a family trait for generations, what does Sadlers do in 2023 and for whom? Today we operate from a warehouse complex in the heart of the country where we process millions of used boxes every year. Our cardboard box reuse scheme benefits both large waste producers and small businesses that need cheap and sustainable cardboard boxes. Generally when you have products to ship you choose to pack in cardboard boxes. You either buy from a box manufacturer who will make to your specific requirements or you will buy from a cardboard box stockist who will supply their nearest equivalent. However, cardboard boxes aren't cheap and the manufacturing process uses large amounts of energy, water and other vital resources. We ask the question, ‘do you really need to pack in brand new boxes?' It makes people think, ‘there might be a better way of doing this'. Many of our used boxes are 30-50% cheaper to buy than brand new, and we sort and grade them to make sure we send out only the best. We don't only rescue used boxes from being scrapped, we also buy and sell surplus boxes; new ones that are no longer required for their original purpose. Normally these boxes would be scrapped, but we divert these to the reuse market too. For customers who only want new boxes, this offers a cost-effective alternative that still has a lower environmental impact than brand new from a manufacturer.
On the supply side, we offer waste producers a chance to make their waste disappear; used cardboard boxes are no longer classified as waste if they are being reused. By segregating used boxes from their waste stream and diverting to reuse with Sadlers, they achieve significantly higher rebates that are stable and predictable.
We have reuse schemes in place with many of the country's largest food, drink, manufacturing and distribution organisations and our boxes are bought by businesses in every product-based sector you can imagine.
Given the global focus on sustainability, recycling and reusability, your product line seems perfectly positioned for success. How does the current generation see the future?
That's right, our somewhat old-fashioned model of reusing items instead of replacing them is having a resurgence in popularity because it makes sense in every way. We were pioneers of the circular economy before ‘circular economy' was a well-known phrase. Now we see everyone talking about it. Those who have not woken up to this way of doing business will soon realise it's the only way, given how heavily over-used the world's natural resources are.
The last few years have shown us the kind of volatility that can occur in supply chains without warning. Never before have we seen the world shut down like it did during the pandemic. During this time, cardboard box factories and recycling plants across the world were forced to close, creating severe shortages, price hikes and long lead times. We were in a very unique position at this time because we still had a steady flow of used boxes and were able to keep prices low. Without boxes it becomes almost impossible to transport goods, so we provided some much-needed reliability amongst the chaos.
Companies will be looking to reduce volatility and mitigate threats like these, which will make our reuse scheme even more attractive. One of the perks of diverting used boxes to reuse with Sadlers is the high price we fix for the long term, as opposed to the scrap cardboard prices which fluctuate wildly and are always lower than ours. Used cardboard boxes provide both financial and environmental benefits to suppliers and buyers.
For more information please visit us at sadlers.co.uk [1]