Forward thinking waste management company SWR has acquired Smash & Grab, a company that produces an innovative bottle smashing machine. The compact machine turns large numbers of bottles into small pieces in just a few seconds and reduces the volume of waste by around 80 percent.
In line with its approach of supplying a complete service, SWR will bundle the machine into its waste management contracts for customers whose businesses have a lot of bottles to dispose of rather than focus on selling the machine.
The deal came about after SWR had introduced the machine into a number of its customers in the hospitality industry and had been very impressed with the feedback and results. SWR CEO, Giles Whiteley, said: "From the outset we were really impressed with what the machine was achieving, it solves a number of problems for customers in one hit; waste volume is reduced, collection costs are reduced, space required for bins is reduced and the problem of the noise of emptying bins full of bottles goes away". The latter can be a big problem for hotels as well as bars and restaurants in residential areas.
Whiteley continued: "If anything we simply couldn't understand why these machines were not in every pub, bar and hotel in the land." It became clear to SWR that there were a number of artificial barriers holding the product back; particularly that it represented a capital expense that potential buyers need to evaluate and justify. By offering the machine as part of a waste contract this barrier is removed.
Managing Director of Smash and Grab Geoffrey Galitzine commented: "SWR were one of the first waste companies that really grasped the product's potential. I believe that this is down to their strong focus resolving customer issues. The machine has been developed over several years and is loved by our customers for both its simplicity and its effectiveness. To be able to wrap it into a waste service is absolutely fantastic and I am extremely excited about the potential that this deal opens up".
Summing up Whiteley said: "Hotels, restaurants and bars are a key market for SWR and the glass smashing unit was the perfect fit to our service as was the acquisition to our strategy".