Don’t worry, we haven’t reversed our growth trend; in fact, as we near the end of our 25th year, we are supporting more clients than ever which has resulted in a record turnover in 2018.
Reverse thinking…
Perhaps the biggest news of the year is our success in bringing Reverse Vending to the fore in Scotland; we’ve been installing machines in key locations and working with some great organisations, not only to highlight the issues of single use bottles and cans, but to offer genuine solutions to the problem. We already have reverse vending in operation at Glasgow University and we are working with many other Universities and Colleges who will shortly be offering our solutions on their campuses. Supermarkets too are installing the machines and we will continue to roll out in more and more locations in 2019.
We have also just launched a new Reverse Vendor for coffee cups which is already proving to be very popular, it is making the collection of used coffee cups a simple process.
Supporting young DISRUPTERS…
During 2018, we have taken the Reverse Vending machines to schools and public events such as Zero Waste Perth to help raise awareness and explain how everyone can make a difference. We were particularly delighted with one such demonstration at Stow Primary School where the pupils showed lots of enthusiasm for the solution, and they won a grant from the Hunter Foundation for their DISRUPTERS Initiative. The school also went on to win the ’Enterprise Regeneration’ award at the recent ‘Year of Young People, Inspire Awards 2018’. Well done to all involved.
Further evidence of our commitment to the environment is our recent decision to partner Keep Scotland Beautiful and Simply Cups in the GLASGOW CUP MOVEMENT launching in January 2019. This important event will initiate positive solutions to the disposal of single use paper cups. We are serious about environmental issues and we are working hard to educate consumers about the concerns and the solutions, we look forward to expanding our Reverse Vending operation and supporting environmental organisations in 2019.
Rewarded for our efforts…
During our 25th year we have also been nominated for various awards and celebrated some wins. In March, we were nominated for the “Excellence in Customer Service” award and it was fitting that in the 25th year of the Lanarkshire Business Awards we were named winners. Nationally, we enjoyed double success at ‘The Vendies’, the vending industry’s own awards where we were named ‘Best Regional Operator’ and ‘Best Overall Operator’ in the UK
We were also delighted to be finalists in The Glasgow Business Awards 2018. Named in three categories, Sustainable Development Award, Green Champion Award and Excellence in Communication, once again this was great recognition for our team who work so hard over the course of the year.
Exclusive relationships…
Throughout our 25 years, we have been early adopters, often first to bring new technology and products to the market. Our partners know this and as a result they frequently launch new products to our customers ahead of others. We hope you have enjoyed some of the products launched exclusively via Excel Vending during the year. We also enjoy extended periods of exclusivity with some of the best names in the industry; these relationships are built on trust, experience and reputation. The recent post about our relationship with de Jong DUKE is an excellent example of the partnerships we have developed over the years.
As we move towards Christmas and into the New Year, we can reflect on a momentous 25th year – a record year for so many different reasons. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the support of our dedicated team, we are proud of them and appreciate the hard work they do throughout the year.
Finally, and most importantly, we thank our customers for their continued support and loyalty, not just for this year, but for the last 25 years , some of whom have been with us from the very beginning .