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Finding a solution

This combination of factors demonstrates why the careful choice of products for both newbuild and refurbishment projects is so vitally important. The cable management products within a given building can represent a significant part of the interior fit-out, especially for larger buildings, so there is a real opportunity for contractors to have an impact on the embodied carbon of the project and prevent waste by working with clients to specify cable management products with higher levels of recycled content.

Both post-industrial waste, such as discarded material and off-cuts from manufacturing, and post-consumer waste from products such as windows removed from buildings, can be reclaimed and recycled. For example, Marshall-Tufflex has been using reclaimed PVC-U from post-consumer and post-industrial waste windows in the manufacture of its products for over 25 years. Over the years the company has continued to invest in research and development to increase the use of this material and today uses its own compounding machine to process the recycled material so that it can be used in the manufacture of new conduit and trunking systems.

The window materials are chipped, heated and forced through a fine mesh filter to remove impurities such as metal, rubber and non-PVC-U particles from the plastic. It is then cooled and cut into pellets before being checked for quality and colour consistency.

In 2022, Marshall-Tufflex manufactured PVC-U products using an average of 69% of recycled material across the range, with white conduit and mini/maxi trunking lengths regularly manufactured using between 80 and 100% recycled material. This is currently saving the equivalent weight of 300 double decker buses going into landfill each year.

Common misconceptions

Despite the clear benefits of using recycled content in manufacturing, such products have not yet been widely adopted. This is perhaps in part due to some misconceptions about the products. Firstly, there is a false assumption that recycled products may not offer the same strength or appearance. In fact, PVC-U conduit and trunking products with recycled content offer the same performance as the equivalent made from virgin materials.

Thanks to Marshall-Tufflex’s long heritage in extruding PVC and injection-moulding techniques that have been developed in-house, the company says it can offer superior products with recycled content that retain their high quality and outstanding finish. To achieve this, Marshall-Tufflex has rigorous quality control measures in place throughout the manufacturing process to ensure the expected standard, including achieving a glossy white finish for colour consistency. If a product does not meet these exacting standards, it is recycled back into chips and re-enters the production process, meaning there is no waste.

There is also a misconception that the cost of such products will be higher. However, the cost of cable management products made from recycled material is usually in line with others of the same quality, as with products from the Marshall-Tufflex range, making it a simple and cost neutral switch.

Responsible selection

Marshall-Tufflex is striving to maximise the amount of recycled content in its products to lower carbon emissions and divert waste from landfill. However, the company can only do this in collaboration with contractors, who have an essential role in promoting the use of these products. The industry also needs other manufacturers to follow what Marshall-Tufflex is doing, but this will only happen with increased demand from contractors and clients. That is why the company is calling on everyone involved in project specification and installation to aim for all PVC-U cable management products installed in buildings to include at least 50% recycled material by 2028.

With carbon emissions increasingly considered as part of the specification process, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings and infrastructure, sustainability is now a key consideration in the specification of building materials and products. It is also an essential qualification factor for many tenders. Recommending cable management products with recycled content is a simple, and often cost neutral, way to help reduce embodied carbon and divert materials away from landfill. Contractors can quickly identify the products and make specifications that will help to make a positive environmental impact by using Marshall-Tufflex’s embodied carbon reports, which can be accessed directly from the technical team by emailing: technical@marshall-tufflex.com.

Using cable management products that include a high percentage of recycled content is a simple and cost neutral way of reducing embodied carbon and waste. Together, we can make a difference.

About Marshall-Tufflex

Established in 1942, Marshall-Tufflex is a British based manufacturer and supplier of cable management systems. A family-owned company with its head office and manufacturing facility in Hastings, Marshall-Tufflex has been pioneering plastic extrusion in the UK for over 80 years and leading the way in areas of product research, development and innovation, especially when it comes to using recycled material.

As a major player in the electrical industry, the company has refined its portfolio to meet the needs of the electrical sector with a range of cable management solutions that ensures cabling remains safe, operational and secure. Its broad range includes Odyssey Trunking and Sterling Curve, as well as the innovative Tufflex Tile and a partnership with Basor Electric that means customers now have access to its metal and PVC cable trays and wire basket ranges. The company’s most recent launch underpins its commitment to offering a wide choice and more flexibility for installers working on a variety of projects, with a new range of 44mm deep Universal Switch and Socket Boxes. Each box features knockouts for both 20mm round conduit and mini trunking (25 x 16mm).

The company will be exhibiting its wide range of cable management solutions at CEF Live at the NEC from 8-9 June and contactors can register to visit the event at ceflive.co.uk.