At (L)ove (U)r (P)lanet we are convinced that businesses can be both profitable and successful through focusing on the betterment of society and our planet as a whole. This is why we adopt Circular Asset Management practices and work with organisations who can mutually benefit from prolonging the lifecycles of their assets -specifically for laboratory and manufacturing equipment-, through the optimisation and re-allocation of these assets.

Our holistic network brings together all stakeholders: Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s), Laboratories and Manufacturers (Buyers/Sellers) and Service Partners, with whom we work on a case-by-case basis considering the entirety of Asset Life Cycles, with the ultimate aim of reducing landfill and mining more raw materials from the planet.  

But our business model brings benefits not only for the environment. The economic benefits are essential for us, and in this whitepaper –inspired by Matt Hicks, Chief Operating Officer at Federal Equipment Company, a pharmaceutical industry veteran with more than 15 years of experience helping companies get the most value and utility out of their manufacturing and process equipment assets. In Hicks article published by Pharmasalmanac – he explores in detail, why choosing under-utilised equipment can become a competitive advantage for your company.

There are many situations in which companies could receive more benefits opting for purchasing under-utilised equipment rather than new, and the main reason behind is that you will be able to save time and money, making your company more competitive in the market.   

In a very dynamic and fast-changing environment which often businesses are, market conditions may require rapid increases in capacity, offering great opportunities for flexible organisations which can adapt their operations to the demand. According to Hicks, sourcing new equipment can at times require a 6-8 month lead time for delivery. This has been further exacerbated since COVID.

Meanwhile second-hand equipment can be purchased faster, particularly within the Australian market where most of the manufacturing occurs offshore, allowing companies to operate on shorter turn-arounds & schedules. As a complementary benefit, this equipment is usually significantly cheaper than new, which makes them a particularly attractive alternative for research institutes with limited funding, plus smaller or start-up laboratories with reduced R&D budgets. At (L)ove (U)r (P)lanet, we have seen instances of equipment comparative to new at a fraction of the cost, saving savvy Circular Asset Buyers in excess of 60% off new. And yet, when we often say our focus is to try to minimise landfill, many people automatically assume under-utilised equipment is at the end of life. Yet this is far from the case. In our first two years of Operation, approximately 60% of our asset base was under 3 years old.

Another great benefit of acquiring used equipment is in terms of quality improvement and process consistency in a faster way with lower capital expenditure. Used equipment can mitigate considerably all the risks related with the supply chain, ensuring on-time delivery for your projects. The difficulties that the pandemic brought to global supply chains are visible across most industry sectors, and the effects seem to stay for longer. Diversifying your supply chain with the Procurement of Circular Assets will help you reduce uncertainty and avoid sudden stops within your operations.

Purchasing new equipment can also demand more caution compared to used ones, including: qualifying and selecting new supplier/s, customizing the new equipment to the process, testing the machinery at the OEM´s facilities and then in the laboratory. All these processes are more complex when the equipment is new, without considering any complications with the physical delivery of the unit, which (unfortunately) occurs quite frequently.

For under-utilised equipment, it is still key to find a reputable supplier with experience in the market. The main difference is in time and cost: as the equipment is already built, the process can potentially reduce purchase lead time from months to weeks and the cost savings are substantial. There are many reasons for choosing Circular Assets, including market opportunities, operative reasons, but maybe more importantly, it could be a great way to become more competitive with a time/money-saving solution whilst contributing to longer term sustainable outcomes.

At (L)ove (U)r (P)lanet we have the experience to help you to find the right solutions for your capital equipment and sustainable procurement needs, always seeking a WIN-WIN-WIN outcome and the best interest for Your Company, our Circular Network and of course, Our Planet!

Written by Felipe Soraires, edited by Noreen Kam

In one of our recent social media posts in October, we shared the news about the first Australian laboratory being certified as “green”. The Hill Laboratory at La Trobe University´s Institute of Molecular Science, became the first Aussie lab to receive certification from My Green Lab, a US-based not for profit aimed at improving the sustainability of scientific research.

The article mentions that laboratories use 10 times more energy and four times more water than conventional offices, and many products used for research are single-use only and come densely packed, which obviously result in a large amount of plastic waste.

In order to achieve the certification, La Trobe had applied several measures, including: 

• Recycling all soft plastic wrapping, styrofoam, hard plastics and e-waste used in genomic testing;
• Introducing more energy-efficient, heated metal bead baths instead of water baths for keeping samples warm in experiments;
• Changing habits to reduce electricity use, including turning off machines not in use and installing outlet timers;
• Introducing protocols to reduce or eliminate harmful chemicals used in experiments;
• Installing low flow aerators on taps as well as energy-efficient lighting;
• Using a more energy-efficient freezer and cutting back on the number of freezers cooling to -80 degrees Celsius.

When looking at these actions what are your first thoughts that come to mind? Are they realistic goals for every lab?

We definitely celebrate this amazing initiative from The Hill Laboratory to go in this direction, and we can agree that none of these actions seems unachievable for most Australian laboratories.

However, the consideration for further improvement, particularly in terms of Capital Equipment and Asset Management could add significantly greater value and is usually under-represented or considered with regards to ‘’waste’’ or sustainability. Since our area of expertise is in Circular Asset Management for laboratories, we understand that labs have massive scope for improvement in this area.

The manufacture of new assets for the industry every year implies tonnes and tonnes of new raw materials, including plastics from fossil fuels, metals, and millions of liters of water and toxins. This system that uses and replaces assets quickly also generates an incredible amount of waste, with us seeing first hand tonnes of laboratory equipment sent to disposal each year even when they are in perfectly usable condition.

This is just not viable anymore, and it is important to consider this aspect of sustainability when doing these certifications or corporate sustainability reports.

At (L)ove (U)r (P)lanet we take a long-term and holistic approach that is an Australian first and doesn’t exist anywhere else in the global market. We ourselves are not a marketplace in that we understand the need to change the approach to life cycle management from the outset in not just being reactive and looking at your assets at the end of the asset life.

Whilst much grant funding and research in more mainstream Circular Economy modelling focuses on rewarding the re-use, recycling or re-manufacturing of products or assets, at LUP we try to partner with all the stakeholders involved at the initial outset of considering a new Capital Equipment purchase. We partner strategically with all our network members to try to assist them throughout their assets life.

By collaborating with the key stakeholders involved in the life cycles of that asset, including the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), the initial equipment Buyer, to incorporating a network of Service Partners (where the OEM is unable to focus on supporting the equipment in it’s subsequent lives), to finally transitioning the traditional ‘disposal mindset’ of Capital Equipment Buyers to become ‘’Sellers’’ of their equipment at the end of their time with that asset. This way, when the initial Buyer is looking to procure an asset, through LUP they are able to consider the entire life cycle of that asset at the outset, thereby understanding the importance of retaining the maximum value throughout it’s life.

In this way, we enable a sustainable CAPEX process, not only increasing the value of assets on Balance sheets, but reducing risks across company supply chains by ensuring assets are better maintained throughout their life within organisations as well as capturing the optimal residual value once the equipment is no longer required by them.

For second tiered buyers who are able to procure under-utilised equipment, savings in excess of over 60% for good quality laboratory or manufacturing equipment has enabled greater access to resources for start-up laboratories or testing new markets, not to mention keeping valuable equipment out of landfill. We have seen countless instances of laboratories just requiring equipment for one-off purchases, or incorrectly purchased equipment, or not having the test volumes to do the inhouse testing after purchasing and thus continuing to outsource the testing. Thus, not only is partly or fully utilised equipment ending up often in landfill, but equipment that has barely been utilised at all.

So if you are ready to take the leap to the next phase of sustainable evolution, have an even bigger impact on our planet, significantly reduce Procurement costs whilst accessing a viable alternative to the disposal of your under-utilised assets, contact us today to become part of one the fastest growing networks of Circular change makers. Not only can you become more ‘green’ in terms of your operations and operational costs such as The Hill Laboratory has demonstrated, but we will be able to assist you in maximizing your sustainability impact for your capital equipment and the life and value of the assets within your organisation.

Welcome to the (L)ove (U)r (P)lanet family…

Written by Felipe Soraires, edited by Noreen Kam

GUEST EXPERT: EMILY JONES, PROGRAM OFFICER – VICTORIA GOVERNMENT CEBIC

This year Sustainability Victoria launched CEBIC, the Circular Economy Business Innovation Centre. We were fortunate enough to sit down & interview Emily Jones, (Acting Program Officer Business Innovation | Regions & Partnerships), to discuss the CEBIC & the exciting growing focus on Circular Economies within our local communities.

Emily is a circular economy pioneer with a passion for supporting businesses to innovate and transition towards a resilient, circular economy. She is an alumni of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global From Linear To Circular program and currently advises on the Victorian Government’s Circular Economy Business Innovation Centre (CEBIC).  The CEBIC seeks to support business and industry to innovate, adopt, and implement circular economy opportunities and business models.

LUP: Thanks for sitting down with us today Emily.

Emily: Thanks so much for having me! It’s great to reconnect with LUP Global after having Noreen speak at our Melbourne Knowledge Week event earlier this year.

LUP: Could you please advise why CEBIC was established and what your main mission is?

Emily: We know that businesses will play a pivotal role over the next decade in transitioning our economy to one that is more circular and regenerative. The Circular Economy Business Innovation Centre (CEBIC) was established by the Victorian Government under the Recycling Victoria policy to support and empower Victorian businesses to take circular action.
This is the main mission of the CEBIC and we are achieving it by:
 bringing together businesses, industry bodies, research organisations, governments, and communities to collaborate and respond to innovation challenges

 fostering innovation projects across supply chains to reduce waste, increase re-use and repair
and generate new streams of revenue for business
 encouraging investment and leverage Victoria’s design and engineering expertise
 partnering with other organisations that are also supporting businesses to transition to align
efforts

LUP: What type of businesses can access CEBIC support and how?

Emily: The CEBIC is for businesses large and small, across all industries, who are ready to take action to become circular. We have a variety of options for support including:
 Thought-leadership events that bring together a panel of experts to discuss opportunities across the circular economy (such as our Melbourne Knowledge Week event that we had Noreen speak at).
 Industry workshops and roundtables to bring together stakeholders to identify barriers and solutions to overcome them.
 Publication of research and insights.
 Funding programs that allow businesses to act and scale up innovative circular initiatives.
 One to one chats available for businesses with a rep from CEBIC.

To get involved, businesses can start with a visit to the CEBIC Virtual Hub where they can subscribe to receive news and updates of opportunities within the Victorian Circular Economy.
https://www.cebic.vic.gov.au/

What´s on the agenda for the next 6-12 months and how can we at (L)ove (U)r (P)lanet and our broader network help?

Emily: Over the next 6-12 months we will be continuing to focus our efforts on enabling circular innovation and collaboration across industries and supply chains. The LUP network can play a big role in this. If you have an idea for your industry, intel to share or simply want to introduce yourself reach out to us at https://www.cebic.vic.gov.au/about-us/contact-us.

While we focus on all industries, each financial year we appoint a focus area that allows us to direct resources to focus efforts on waste reduction and materials efficiency in that industry. For 21-22, our focus is enabling a circular textiles economy.

More about CEBIC and how to get involved can be found here: https://www.cebic.vic.gov.au/about-us

Image Credit: Katumba Badru Hidden Flows Photo Showcase

LUP: What’s been happening with ACEN? Has COVID affected the work that ACEN is doing? When we last spoke, you mentioned ACEN was now planning the 1st Pan African Circular Economy Conference to take place in 2021. Is this still happening?

Peter: As you can imagine, since my first interview, the circular economy has gained a lot more attention globally. We are also seeing a great deal of interest in how circular principles can benefit the development of African countries through greater international co-operation and support. This has been seen in the positive responses we have received from ACEN’s participation in writing of 8 country reports and a continental report on EU-Africa co-operation for the European Commission.

The level of ACEN’s activity in this space has increased in the last 12 months as international funds are more available for CE projects. COVID has had an impact how we work as face-to-face meetings have often been difficult to achieve. Online meeting platforms have helped considerably and reduced travel costs, but in Africa personal contact is an important element of how research and implementation are undertaken.

We are now involved in several projects as part of consortia bidding for competitive tenders such as Horizon 2020 funding as well as invitations to lead or contribute to research projects. These include policy development for circular food systems, circular entrepreneur incubation and scoping studies for circular business platforms in two African countries.

ACEN has recently signed a co-operation agreement with partners in Portugal (CECOLAB) and Brazil (Exchange 4 Change) as part of a South / South / North collaboration initiative to facilitate interaction on circular economy between Europe, Latin America and Africa. The aim is to share knowledge between the Global South and Global North to create opportunities for spurring innovation and making the transition more equitable by creating green jobs and lowering environmental impacts. The increasingly worldwide development of CE is the establishment of The Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency. 

There are some exciting developments in the work that ACEN is doing with universities and learning institutions across the continent. We now have an Academic Programme in place which comprises the African CE Research Group and a working group developing CE curriculum for students and training material for business. 

ACEN Foundation:  https://acenfoundation.org/

A significant initiative in ACEN’s development has been the establishment of the ACEN Foundation in partnership with Trinomics, a Dutch sustainability consultancy, with whom we worked on the European Commission reports. The Foundation works across Africa to implement circular strategies and projects, enhance capacity amongst practitioners in the private and public sector, fundraise for the delivery of projects, and support entrepreneurs to develop unique circular business models. This collaboration will produce a greater impact than would be possible by each organisation working separately.

You asked about the Africa Circular conference. We still have ambitions! With the arrival of COVID we have had to postpone our plans for a single Pan-African in-person event. We are considering the idea of a series of workshops to be organised by our Country Chapters with the support of governments and businesses. As regards a continent-wide conference, it is possible that the World Circular Economy Forum will be held in Africa at some point in the future; we are in discussion with the organising team at SITRA as to how ACEN can collaborate in the organisation of the conference. 

LUP: In this new global landscape, how can businesses or individuals best get involved in Circular Economies in general, and more specifically with an organisation such as ACEN?

Peter: There are many ways of engaging in the subject of the circular economy. Catherine Weetman at Rethink Global produces “The Circular Economy Podcast” and has recently published the second edition of her book “A Circular Economy Handbook” The Ellen MacArthur Foundation website provides a huge amount of resources. Finally, here is a suggestion for those just starting in exploring the subject: “Circular Economy for Dummies”.

Anyone interested in being involved or supporting ACEN’s work can take a look on our website at our new Membership Programme. If anyone reading this is based in Africa and have a professional interest in applying circularity in their work, they can apply to become a Country Representative or a Chapter Member. If their organisation or academic institution wishes to contribute to our work, there are separate categories for each. Otherwise, there are two categories for individuals (Friend of ACEN) and students who wish to be kept informed about ACEN’s work through newsletters and events. We also have LinkedIn and Facebook groups that people can join to share ideas and projects.

ACEN is action focussed and so we continue to explore opportunities for collaboration to develop and implement projects on the ground. A good example of this is the initiative established by Footprints Africa to research circular case studies – report and map created for us by a UNEP partner, GRID-Arendal. If anyone would like to add a circular case study from Africa to the database, they can do so via this link. 

Photo at Suame Magazine, Kumasi, Ghana – repair of cocoa trucks in the:  https://asantemanweb.com/suame-magazine-in-the-ermerging-ghana-automotive-industry/

LUP: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Peter: Yes, I just wanted to note that circularity has been practised across Africa for generations, to a large extent out of necessity. This image is of cocoa trucks being repaired at the Suame Magazine hub in Kumasi, Ghana where replacements were not available and spare parts were manufactured. The area is made up of 12,000 small scale engineering industries, repair works, scrap yards, workshops with a working population of about 200,000 supporting the livelihood of over 600,000 people. We also conscious that 

Higher income countries have much to learn from indigenous practices in Africa which are regenerative and restorative in nature and contribute towards circular thinking. In Europe and North America we focus on measuring success through a very blunt instrument called GDP (Gross Domestic Product) yet it says nothing about people’s well-being. In fact, the word ‘economy’ comes from the Greek word ‘oikonomia’ which means ‘household management’. The word ‘wealth’ comes from the Middle English meaning ‘well-being’. So rather than expecting countries to achieve continuous GDP growth, we should be focusing on ways to ensure the ongoing health and well-being of individuals within the limits of our planet’s resources – along the lines of Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics.

Thank-you so much for your generosity Peter, we are delighted to have you continuing to help us learn through your experiences about this shared passion!

To contact Peter and ACEN:  

peter.desmond@acen.africa  

www.acen.africa

Read the first part of the interview HERE.

For the original interview with Peter back in 2019 click HERE .

We are delighted to share that LUP Global was fortunate to be invited to partake in this year’s Melbourne Knowledge Week event ”Smart & Circular” on 29th April 2021. The event was organized by Sustainability Victoria, Planet Ark & the City of Melbourne.

Our participation took place during an expert panel discussion titled ”SMART AND CIRCULAR: Learn about the potency of data and technology to cut waste and enable circular economy business models”, with other inspiring guest panelists, including:

Lachlan Feggans – Brambles

Marjon Wind – Madaster

Mark Mitchell – SuperCool

Hosted by Jodie Bricout, one of Australia’s leading Circular Economies experts, our Founder & CEO, Noreen Kam, discussed how LUP uses data as a foundation to enable our exclusive Circular Asset Database to maximise the value of under-utilized assets and avoid sending valuable equipment to landfill.

A Circular Economy needs more events like this, creating ecosystems where governments, businesses, organisations, and people adopt circular practices to create a world where nothing goes to waste. Melbourne has plenty of pioneers fostering a culture of collaboration with like-minded businesess, and we are proud of this great achievement!

Take a look at this video from the event HERE.