Medite Smartply is partnering with award winning social enterprise Goldfinger Factory for its new stand at Ecobuild 2017.
The two companies are combining their core values to create a tribute to sustainable innovation. Medite’s fully traceable supply chain boasts its own FSC certified forestry management programme, which means it can track its certified products from sapling to site.
Complementing this will be Goldfinger Factory’s own commitment to zero waste production, as Oliver Waddington-Ball, founder of the company, explains: “Goldfinger Factory is a design, build and teaching platform centred around upcycling. We create bespoke furniture and interiors, while helping artisans, trainees and young people become self-sustaining through craft — in turn saving materials from landfill.
“Our partnership with Medite requires us to construct and design the coffee lounge section of its stand using Smartply OSB3, FR OSB3, and PROPASSIV products. The focal point of the build is a fantastic table centrepiece that uses large sheets of board, made possible due to the new continuous production line at its factory. The legs of the table will be particularly special, using board shaped into the Medite Smartply tree logo.
“All of this has been designed and managed by our full-time staff and used as a training process for the young people that the organisation supports. Once the show is over the work doesn’t stop for us. The materials will be reused to complete a community centre refit in the Havelock estate, Ealing as part of our work for Catalyst housing association. We will also turn the panels into products, made by our trainees, to sell in our shop.”
The issues of sustainability and supply chain management remain priorities within the timber industry and are issues on which Medite is keen to lead the discussion.
“This partnership for us is also about uniting two brands passionate about the environment and the people that we serve,” says Stuart Devoil, Head of Marketing and Brand at Medite Smartply.
“Ecobuild also marks the start of our Wake up and Smell the Coffee project. This campaign is essentially a series of myth busting exercises. We want to educate customers, and the industry, on the advantages of timber with zero added formaldehyde, flame retardant timber, and sustainability. We will be looking to eliminate any rumours and uncertainties around these issues and report on the facts and figures with examples from our own expertise.
“All of the product that we are supplying to Goldfinger Factory is fully traceable and certified, which means that Oliver and his team are fully compliant with all required legislation and regulation for the Havelock estate project.”
Medite Smartply will be at Ecobuild, Excel centre, London from 7th to the 9th March on stand D115. For more information or to book your ticket to the event, visit the website here.
