Alusid has created “probably the world’s first 100 per cent recycled tile”, thanks to funding and other support from the UK government’s Transforming Foundation Industries (TFI) Challenge.
The company developed and successfully piloted a glaze made entirely from recycled materials to use with its tile bodies, which are already made from industry-leading levels of recycled content.
Alusid is now exploring the potential to use the glazes with its Spanish and Italian sub-contractors, who are mass manufacturing tiles for customers such as Topps Tiles and Starbucks. Frontier IP holds a 35.4 equity stake in the company.
“I had a vision of being able to make a tile product that was 100 per cent recycled, probably the world’s first 100 per cent recycled commercially manufactured, mass-produced tile, and the TFI Challenge allowed us realise that dream.
Alusid co-founder and creative director David Binns
Chief executive Alasdair Bremner said the Challenge meant Alusid had been able to engage with larger companies to gain access to raw materials, and on production and scale up.
The TFI Challenge, which is led by Innovate UK, was set up to transform foundation industries such as ceramics, metals, cement, glass, paper and chemicals. The government wants to make them more competitive, secure more jobs in the UK, and ensuring their growth is environmentally sustainable. It contributed £53,000 to Alusid’s costs for the project.
Alusid is currently exploring options for an initial public offering.
Earlier this year, the company launched its first range of floor tiles, which are being sold by Parkside Architectural Tiles, the commercial arm of Topps Tiles. The range is called Mas and consists of 98.5 per cent recycled content. According to published comparison EPDs, Mas is also one of the lowest emission floor tiles on the market at 5.9kg per square metre compared to 10.7kg per square metre for the average Spanish ceramic tile.
