Our team in the UK: return to sender
Kill two birds with one stone
Brick samples often end up in the trash after use and then in the landfill. A shame, because those samples are usually perfectly reusable. Recovering brick samples is not only good for the environment - you create less waste AND need fewer new bricks - it also solves a practical problem. “We are often short of brick samples,” explains Tom Ashworth, National Specification Manager in the UK. “By recovering them, we kill two birds with one stone.”
Recycling brick samples
“Recovery of brick samples is not new in itself,” Tom explains. “But in the past, little attention was paid to it. We have changed that. First, we promoted the service to our samples department. From then on, all samples delivered were provided with clear instructions on how to return them. The system works simply: the customer sends an email to Vandersanden, packs the sample in the box, and a courier picks it up.”
Yet this does not always go smoothly. “Sometimes a box gets lost, the sample is damaged, or does not come back at all,” says Tom. “Between August and October 2023, we got back about 10% of the samples delivered, about 50 of them. What happens to the other samples, we don't know exactly. Some undoubtedly end up in the landfill, some might stay with the customer to be reused later. The samples we did get back were reused: some in their original state, some restored or recycled.”
Extra contact moment for sales
The initiative also provides an additional benefit: an additional contact moment for our Area Sales Managers. “Most customers respond positively,” says Tom. “We do notice differences between customer groups. Architects and end users, for example, are more actively involved than dealers. Moreover, it gave our representatives a good opportunity to discuss sustainability in a positive way. If they are in the area, they can even pick up the samples themselves. That strengthens the contact with the customer.”
“The initiative gave our representatives a good opportunity to discuss sustainability in a positive way. If they are in the area, they collect the samples themselves. That strengthens the contact with the customer.”
According to Tom, there is still a lot of potential. “It would be nice to roll out this initiative further, for example first in Belgium and then in other countries. To make it easier, we can put a QR code on the box. That way the customer can immediately arrange the return via a webpage. This also makes it easier for us to monitor how many samples are effectively returned. It is definitely worth exploring this further.”
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