British Gypsum is to become the first building materials manufacturer in the UK to form a strategic partnership with circular economy pallet supplier The Pallet LOOP.

The manufacturer uses approximately 1.6 million white timber pallets every year but its switch to a pallet re-use scheme is set to radically reduce the waste that can result from pallets being disposed of unsustainably. 

The move supports British Gypsum’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon by 2050, and the initiative is one of many set out in British Gypsum’s sustainability roadmap, which aims to minimise waste, re-use materials and tackle emissions to reduce environmental impact at every stage of build.

British Gypsum hopes its partnership with The Pallet Loop will also enable it to work with its customers to support their own reductions in waste and net zero targets.

Dean O’Sullivan, Managing Director at British Gypsum, part of Saint-Gobain Interior Solutions, said: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with The Pallet Loop as we aim to radically cut unnecessary waste.

“Pallets left behind after products have been removed have for a long time created a challenge, with many being unsustainably disposed of at a heavy environmental cost. By joining forces with The Pallet Loop, we aim to significantly reduce this practice.”

British Gypsum will roll out The Pallet Loop scheme in two stages, with the green-coloured  pallets scheduled to be in circulation from May for its bagged plaster and accessories. From July, its plasterboard range, based on pallet size, will begin to transition over, resulting in 70% of its products being delivered on reusable pallets once the scheme is fully operational. It is hoped the remaining 30% will move across during a later phase of the project.

The Pallet Loop founder Paul Lewis said: “At Loop, our mission is to transform the way building materials move and we are incredibly excited that British Gypsum, as a market leader, is partnering with us to promote a culture of pallet reuse.

“Using our service, merchants, distributors, principal contractors, and housebuilding companies will be able to book pallet collections, which can take place from as little as 72 hours later. There will also be a PayBack of up to £4 available for every green coloured pallet they put back in the Loop.  Our service is a real step change that is set to deliver substantial benefits across the UK construction supply chain.  We can’t wait to get our LOOP pallets into circulation and look forward to other building material manufacturers following British Gypsum in adopting our circular pallet reuse model.”