From Fridges to Fans: AO to Help Volution Hit Sustainability Goals

Online electricals retailer, AO, has announced that it’s set to strengthen the sustainability ambitions of Volution Group plc as its recycling facility will now be supplying two different forms of recycled plastic that will be used to create sustainable ventilation systems.

The move will help Volution move closer to reaching its key target of using 90% recycled materials in the manufacturing of its products. After coming under target last year due to supply chain issues, this new source of material from AO will put the UK-based manufacturer of domestic ventilation fans one step closer towards its commitment.

Over the last year, AO has supplied Volution with recycled high impact polystyrene (HIPS) from approximately 63,000 recycled fridges, collected from customers’ homes, and moving forward, the retailer will also be providing recycled acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The recycled ABS will be used to produce a range of parts including the fan chassis of the ventilation and components, with the HIPS continuing in the manufacture of the ducting accessories.

After opening its state-of-the-art recycling plant in 2017, AO has now recycled an incredible five million appliances through its Collect & Recycle service, where both customers and the public can book to have their appliances taken away to be responsibly disposed of. The plastic collected from old fridges is cleaned and refined into reusable HIPS and ABS at its plastic plant.

This is the latest example of Volution working alongside their supply chain to increase the use of new and sustainable materials in their manufacturing process and as an environmentally conscious supplier, AO are keen to support this.

Rob Sant, MD of AO Recycling, said: “We’re so pleased our partnership with Volution helps them close in on their target of using 90% recycled plastic in their manufacturing process by 2025. As a retailer, AO want to take responsibility for the entire recycling process, from start to finish, and we’re proud to be producing high quality recycled plastic that can be easily used in new long-life products. We will continue to invest in our plastic recycling plant as we believe this is key to fulfilling our long-term goals.”

Lee Nurse, Business Development Director at Volution Group, said: “We are really excited to have worked with AO to help us get this new source of recycled material into our facilities. Our procurement teams continue to drive our ambition for 90% of the plastic within our facilities to come from recycled sources, and even with the complexities of the global supply chain situation, we are still making great progress towards that goal.

About AO:

AO World plc, headquartered in Bolton and listed on the London Stock Exchange, is an online electrical retailer, with a mission to be the global destination for electricals. Our strategy is to create value by focussing on being brilliant for our customers to make AO the destination for everything they need, in the simplest and easiest way, when buying electricals.

We sell major and small domestic appliances and a growing range of electrical products in the UK and Germany, delivering them via our in-house logistics business and carefully selected third parties. We also provide ancillary services such as the installation of new and collection of old products and offer product protection plans and customer finance.

In the UK, AO operates in five main categories (Major Domestic Appliances "MDA", Small Domestic Appliances "SDA", Audio Visual "AV" and Consumer Electronics "CE").  Following the acquisition of Mobile Phones Direct Limited in December 2018, AO has significantly broadened its mobile phone category.

AO Business serves the B2B market in the UK, providing electricals and installation services at scale.

AO launched in Germany in October 2014 with MDA and now sells Floorcare, AV and SDA categories.

AO also has a majority equity stake in AO Recycling, a WEEE processing facility, allowing AO to ensure its customers' electricals waste is dealt with responsibly in the UK.

AO, is green in more ways than one. Find out more about its sustainability initiatives here: https://ao.com/sustainability.