Multipanel UK moves toward a circular model for ACP panels

Print Solutions Green Solutions

Multipanel UK is stepping up its sustainability efforts with a new approach designed to help the sign trade recycle Aluminium Composite Panels (ACP) more easily and more consistently. The Dover based manufacturer has been developing practical routes to reduce waste and keep more ACP out of landfill, something the industry has struggled with for years.

Although ACP is widely used across signs, displays and print, most offcuts, skeletons and old panels have historically gone straight into skips. Recycling options have been limited, and separating the aluminium skins from the plastic core has never been straightforward. Multipanel UK decided it was time to tackle the issue directly.

We know a huge amount of ACP waste still ends up in landfill,’ said Gary Weeks, product development and marketing manager at Multipanel UK. ‘We want to make recycling simple and realistic for signmakers. If we can turn used panels back into usable material, everyone benefits.’

The company is testing a closed loop recycling programme in the UK that accepts used ACP from customers. The aluminium is smelted locally and prepared for reuse, while the recycled LDPE core returns to Multipanel UK where it becomes part of new Alupanel sheets. The company expects to expand the programme into Europe early next year.

For busy sign businesses, the attraction is that they will finally have a clear and credible outlet for their waste. For Sign Trade Supplies, joining the initiative is as much about internal responsibility as it is about supporting the wider trade. The company processes large volumes of material when producing sign blanks and other products for customers, which creates significant waste. By taking part in the scheme, it no longer needs to send that waste to landfill. Instead, it can close the loop and ensure its own offcuts are recycled back into useful material. Sign Trade Supplies has already set up dedicated bins for ACP collection.

‘Our motivation is simple. We want to take responsibility for the waste we generate and reduce it wherever possible,’ said Garrick Dartnell, head of marketing at Sign Trade Supplies. ‘By adopting this programme, we know our own production waste is being managed properly, and our customers can be confident that the signage we supply is manufactured in a more responsible way.’

A key part of making the model viable is the close collaboration between Multipanel UK and its long standing distribution partner, Perspex Distribution. The two companies have created a system that keeps manufacturing, distribution, and recycling tightly connected within a relatively small geographic area. Perspex Distribution supplies trade customers, including Sign Trade Supplies, with UK manufactured semi-finished substrates, and now sources around 80% of its sheet products domestically with the help of UK based suppliers such as Multipanel UK.

Alupanel ACP is distributed from one of Perspex Distribution’s five warehouses directly into the sign trade, and then waste is collected and separated centrally in the UK. This keeps transport requirements low and maintains the integrity of the closed loop system, ensuring that offcuts and used panels are returned swiftly to where they can be smelted, processed, and reused.

‘For us, this is about proving that sustainability can be practical,’ said Luke Martyn, marketing manager at Perspex Distribution Ltd. ‘By keeping manufacturing, distribution and recycling within a tight geographic radius, we reduce waste, cut unnecessary transport and give signmakers a system they can trust. It is a genuine closed loop, and we are proud to help make it a reality for the trade.’

The move aligns with what many sustainability specialists have been pushing for. Steve Lister, founder of SteveLister.com, who has spent more than two decades helping global brands, retailers and manufacturers embed sustainable practices, says the initiative reflects where the industry is heading.

‘Signmakers want real recycling routes, not vague promises,’ Steve said. ‘A programme like this is exactly what the sector needs because it gives people something concrete they can act on. When manufacturers take responsibility for what happens at end of life, it lifts the whole industry.’

Steve also notes that major brands and retailers are already pushing suppliers to think more seriously about making more educated material choices. ‘Clients are asking tougher sustainability questions,’ he said. ‘Signmakers need honest answers, and that starts with understanding what happens to materials once a job comes down. This kind of initiative will help them give those answers.’

Multipanel UK has built sustainability into its product line for several years. All Alupanel sheets now feature a 100% recycled LDPE core. The company sources this through long standing supply partnerships to ensure consistency and quality.

Other improvements include energy efficient lighting across production areas, FSC certified wood for pallets and protective pallet covers that already contain 30% recycled content. Fully recycled versions are currently under trial. Because Alupanel is manufactured in the UK with mostly European sourced material, the carbon cost of transport is significantly reduced.

One of the reasons ACP is so widely used is its durability. Alupanel sheets offer long service life and strong weather resistance, which reduces the need for frequent replacement. When a panel does reach the end of its life, the aluminium can be recycled repeatedly.

Recycling aluminium uses 95% less energy and produces 95% fewer emissions compared to primary aluminium production. It also generates 97% less water pollution. This makes recovery and reuse a significant environmental win.

Gary believes collaboration will be essential as the programme expands. ‘Recycling works best when everyone plays their part,’ he said. ‘If signmakers and fabricators are looking to get involved, we will look to help them via our programme.

Steve Lister agrees and says the timing is right for the trade to adopt more circular practices.

‘People are already reusing trays, LEDs and brackets because it saves money,’ he said. ‘Formalising that mindset and closing the loop on materials like ACP is the next logical step. The businesses that start now will stay ahead of customer expectations and regulatory pressure.’