Lead Off-Cuts Recycled to Fishing Industry
With a commitment to recycling every single piece of lead waste, Midland Lead has been supplying lead off-cuts to companies who share the same values of reducing waste and developing sustainable manufacturing processes.
We are known for supplying lead sheet to independent builders merchants, but we also supply lead to a small selection of specialist manufacturers and these have included supplying lead for moulds in ballet shoes, ballast in Formula 1 racing cars, precision engineering equipment and the Olympic Sailing Flotilla. One of the specialist relationships we’d like to take the opportunity to highlight is Shore Cast Solent who we have been supplying off-cuts since 2018.
Far from the construction sector, Shore Cast Solent is a leading manufacturer, providing injection moulded products, fresh water, and sea fishing weights. The family-run company is renowned for being innovative and producing high-quality fishing weights for a variety of applications to trade in the UK and Europe.
Based in Southampton, Shore Cast pride itself on offering expert advice on the best type of weight to use for individual fishing needs, whether on a small or large scale. Their customers include large multinational companies such as Gemini tackle, BZS Tackle, Tronix Pro, and Sakuma have used Shore Cast for many years, and value their sustainable manufacturing practices.
Midland Lead has been supplying Shore Cast with lead off-cuts for three years. Lead off-cuts are a by-product from lead rolls being cut to a customer’s specification. As we have a strong commitment to sustainability and recycling, we ensure nothing goes to waste and usually re-use these off-cuts in our manufacturing, by recycling them back into our kettles for new lead sheeting. However if another company can use these off-cuts in their own manufacturing, rather than sourcing an alternative, less recyclable product, then we support this.
We are keen to reduce waste from all our processes and life cycle assessments show that with high recycling rates, the cradle-to-grave environmental footprint of lead is significantly reduced. Lead can easily be used for 100 to 200 years if produced and recycled correctly, which is why, where we can, we re-utilise off-cuts.
Lead is one of few materials that can be recycled indefinitely without reducing the quality of the product, therefore using lead has a uniquely positive impact on the environment.
We are proud to be the first lead manufacturer to hold the BRE Global Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for our cast sheet lead. This EPD certification validates our care and the positive impact we make on the environment. Working with companies like Shore Cast and improving our processes not only means our lead goes on to make a quality, renowned product, but we are also further reducing our impact on the environment and creating an awareness of the functionality and longevity of recycled lead.
