With a range of over 14,000 office, warehouse and industrial products, it will now begin to incorporate circularity at every stage of these product lifecycles.
Continuous Improvement in Product Sustainability Performance
In a new company-wide directive, the sustainability performance of the whole product offer will be continuously improved to meet sustainability benchmarks, including reduced material use, recycled or renewable content and long-term reparability. As part of the Group’s shift to become more circular, the company is developing circular services and reverse logistics initiatives that aim to recapture materials and extend product lifespans. In 2024 alone, AJ Products added over 700 new spare parts, bringing the total number of readily available spare parts to almost 4000 and giving customers the flexibility to repair existing goods. The company is also introducing disassembly instructions for their products and has already produced documents for over 3,700 products.
Leadership and Vision for Circular Economy
‘As the AJ Products Group celebrates its 50th year of operations, it is a timely rethink of its business model. Looking to the future, sustainability is now a foundation of what we do at AJ Products’ says Helen Beebe, Managing Director of AJ Products (UK). ‘Right from the start, our product teams are asking can we use less material? Can we design this to be repaired? Can this material be recycled easily? By changing our company ethos and mindset we will begin to see the real impact of change’.
Innovative Product Launch with Sustainability Focus
Last autumn, AJ Products launched their first own-brand office chair, the HURRAY, to create an optimal ergonomic chair for the future with a seven-year guarantee, including several new sustainability features. The chair is based on components that are exchangeable, making it easy to repair or upgrade, and the removable fabric cover is both made of 100% recycled materials and is easy to wash, replace and change.
Material Use and Carbon Footprint Reduction
Anita Falkenek, Sustainability Manager at AJ Products head office in Halmstad, Sweden, says ‘the greatest climate impact lies not in transport or waste management but within the materials used in our vast product range. AJ Products strategy is to focus on using fewer materials, more recycled content, and better, preferably renewable, alternatives whilst keeping our consistent high quality’.
Currently a substantial portion of AJ Products emissions come from the extraction and processing of raw materials. Whilst improvements in energy use and transportation are also underway, AJ Products is rethinking how materials are sourced, designed and used, to make significant progress in lowering their overall carbon footprint.
Optimised Product Ranges for Sustainability
A standout example is the TOUGH widespan shelving range, which has been optimised with a 20% reduction in material use, achieving lower resource consumption and a smaller carbon footprint, while maintaining the same high standards of quality and durability.
Commitment to Circular Economy and Long-Term Change
Falkenek stresses ‘Real circularity requires internal change to mindsets and processes, supplier collaboration and customer behaviour change. But with over 14,000 products available online, we have the potential to make a positive impact, and this is something we as a group are committed to do for the long term as part of our push for lasting sustainability change’. These measured steps to reduce environmental impact reflect AJ Products Group’s broader commitment to more responsible, considered ways of working. An approach that aligns with the principles of the circular economy and signals a shift towards long-term, sustainable progress.
