Circular economy: there are more possibilities than you think

On turnhoutvoormorgen.be, the city of Turnhout collects all relevant actions and news from Turnhout related to the climate and its climate goals. Our approach to the circular economy is also discussed. Read the full article below.

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A-kwadraat: "There are more possibilities than you think."

The circular economy can coexist alongside a company's core business. This is demonstrated by A-kwadraat, a social enterprise where circularity is an extension of sustainable and socially responsible business practices. A-kwadraat facilitates large-scale reuse, while its primary objective remains the creation of social employment. " We are a strong partner . "

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Inclusion and craftsmanship in every link of the production process

A-kwadraat, created in 2019 from the merger of Amival and Alito, offers employment and professional development to people who are distanced from the labor market. "We are an extension of our customers' production process and ensure inclusion both within and outside our company," says sales and marketing manager Tim Tilsley.

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A-kwadraat has 656 employees, 537 of whom are custom workers who perform tasks such as assembly, labeling, and packaging. "They also put together sets, such as bundles of collectible cards. People flourish here because they feel understood and included." Specializations include the health and nutrition sector, woodworking, and landscaping.

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Customization workers as key figures for circularity

Tim points out that social enterprises are often ideal partners for companies that want to focus on circularity. 

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‘For example, our people can use a metal detector to scan beams for pieces of iron and remove them. That process is difficult to standardize, which means that without the custom workers, it would not happen and the beams would not be reusable. At the same time, a circular business model is only sustainable if subsidized labor is not the only driving force.’

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Circularity is not necessarily the starting point. 

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‘The circular activities we are currently carrying out did not come about simply because they are circular. For many customers, a positive business case is the most important factor. For example, A-kwadraat refurbishes unsold blood sugar meters for sale in other markets. We also process wood that has already had a long life, such as vodka barrels and train carriage floors, into parquet flooring and garden furniture.’

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Finding solutions through co-creation

For several years now, A-kwadraat has been strongly committed to co-creation with customers in order to discover new questions, improvement actions, and innovations. "This also allows us to identify opportunities for working in a more circular way. With one of our customers, we replaced shrink wrap, used to sell two products together, with a cardboard band. The marketing department, which can put a promotional message on that paper, was immediately delighted (laughs)."

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At its location in Gierle, A-kwadraat welcomes customers to the Idea Café, a meeting room designed with circular materials. 

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‘Co-creation runs even more smoothly in this inspiring space. With the Idea Café, we show that much more is possible than you might think. The conversation about circularity that you have when you enter immediately puts you in the right mindset for the meeting.’

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More opportunities in the future

A customer introduced A-kwadraat to ReCURE, which aims to develop reusable products for the healthcare sector. Although the project is still in the research phase, participation has already led to network expansion. "There are no concrete job opportunities yet. First, we have to get through the exploratory phase. By participating in research projects such as ReCURE, we hope to create a future in which circular working is standard practice."

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A-kwadraat also recently entered into a partnership with Signify. "When we dismantle 3D-printed light fixtures at the end of their life cycle, Signify can process the printed material into new fixtures." Tim certainly expects the share of circular activities in the order portfolio to increase. "Circularity is not a hype: it is here to stay. Our customer satisfaction survey shows that 80 percent of our customers see opportunities for collaboration in the field of circular economy. I find that encouraging."