Valpak are delighted to announce the appointment of Antony Stephens to the Valpak Board as a Non Executive Director. Stephens works for Miele Company Limited ("Miele"), and his appointment comes as a direct result of the WEEE regulations which were laid before Parliament on 12 December 2006.
Miele is the UK subsidiary of the family-owned and run Miele Group which has been one of Europe's leading domestic appliance manufacturers for over 100 years. Miele in Great Britain has sales of over £120 million with over 320 employees. Plans for 2007 will see the firm sell over 200,000 domestic appliances, and around the same number of vacuum cleaners. Miele also retail highly specialised equipment into the healthcare, catering and laboratory industries.
"The development and operation of the WEEE regulations in the UK will have a significant effect on Miele", said Stephens. "Joining Valpak allows my company to be provided with the strongest levels of assurance and competitive compliance. They are market leaders in their own field and this position will allow me to ensure that WEEE producers and retailers are receiving all of the advice, guidance and reassurance they need from a WEEE producer compliance scheme."
"The Valpak WEEE Producer compliance scheme is the only scheme which can provide my company with the guarantee that it has the staff, the experience and the technical capability to deliver cost effective and reliable compliance to its customers".
The Valpak WEEE Producer Compliance Scheme already offers advice and guidance to companies obligated under the WEEE Directive. It is hoped that the UK WEEE Regulations will become law in early January, when Valpak will be fully equipped to provide a service to the thousands of companies likely to be obligated under WEEE law.
"Having a company like Miele as a member and a Non Executive Director such as Tony on the Board adds to the strength of Valpak" said Steve Gough, the Chief Executive of Valpak.
"We always wish to deliver the highest levels of service to our members, and having such a well known and respected name as Miele on the Board will ensure that these standards are maintained and improved. Their technical experience and practical knowledge of the sector is a major asset to the scheme."
Antony Stephens is the Administration and Facilities Director at Miele. He will take up the new appointment on 2nd January 2007 and assist in ensuring that the Valpak producer and retail WEEE services provide support to all businesses with a WEEE obligation. Both Miele and Valpak have intrinsic operational values which are complimentary to one another, including innovation, reliability and efficiency. The Miele Company motto is "Immer Besser" (Forever Better), and this typifies the approach that both companies bring to the WEEE market.