Business News: Sackers
Sackers has notched up impressive growth in the face of adversity over the last three years. Challenges overcome have included the Covid pandemic, port strikes, red diesel tax costs, driver shortages, and inflation. The award acknowledges Sacker’s “outstanding short-term growth of international trade” which is “testament to the resilience” the whole team have shown throughout unprecedented times.
Previously known as the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, the prize is given to UK businesses for outstanding achievement in categories including innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility.
Giving UK companies national and international acclaim, since its inception in 1965, 7,000 businesses have won the award – averaging just 122 each year.
The right strategy
Sackers CEO David Dodds said: “We are over the moon with this recognition. We have faced some incredibly challenging times over the last few years, so to be able to achieve growth of this level, shows that our strategy and investment has been the right decision.
“We will continue to invest and increase our throughput to maintain this growth, which has only been made possible with the team I have around me; I would like to thank them for all their hard work in making this possible.”
A family business that goes back nine decades, Sackers was established in 1929. Today it operates two large commercial scrap metal and waste disposal sites, now turning over more than £35m each year.
Net zero by 2040
Earlier this year, the business announced it had invested a further £350,000 into a new recycling plant as part of its growth plans. The top-of-the-range recycling equipment enables the company to further enhance production via an existing process, that turns cable waste into two items of end product: pure copper and pure plastic, ready for further recycling.
The move enables a 25 per cent uplift in productivity, up to 900 tonnes of cable per month.
“We are always looking for ways of improving our processes and getting a purer product in all areas of our business,” explained David. “The purer the product, the better it is for recycling. Markets are always changing, and technology is advancing, which is always opening new opportunities for the business to continually invest.”
As it continues to grow, Sackers also has ambitious goals to reduce its carbon footprint, aiming to reach net zero by 2040 – 10 years ahead of the Government target. The company has already attained the Bronze level of the Suffolk Carbon Charter and now has its eyes set on achieving Gold.
Sackers will be formally presented with a Grant of Appointment scroll by the county’s Lord Lieutenant, His Majesty The King’s personal representative, at the company’s head office. CEO David will attend a reception for the winners, hosted by His Majesty King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on 27 June.
The King’s Award lasts for five years and will allow Sackers to use the trusted Enterprise Emblem mark on literature and marketing, as well as fly the King’s Awards flag at its main office, demonstrating Royal endorsement.
Visit www.sackers.co.uk for more information.
