Grifco Strengthens Its Commitment to Sustainability Through Zero‑Waste and Recycling Initiatives

Grifco recognises that sustainability is essential to the future of Australian manufacturing. Beyond simply reducing waste, responsible environmental practices support industry resilience, strengthen operations, and create long‑term value.

To guide its efforts, Grifco has committed to a comprehensive sustainability roadmap with ambitious goals:

• Zero waste to landfill
• 100% recyclable packaging
• Carbon neutrality
• Improved water conservation
• Extended product lifespans and equipment recovery solutions

While recycling has long been part of daily operations, Grifco has taken a significant step forward with a dedicated pallet recycling initiative, a key milestone in its zero‑waste strategy.

Grifco’s Pallet Recycling Initiative

To learn more about the initiative, we spoke with Graeme Sheekey, Director of Operations and New Geographies at The Chamberlain Group.

A major focus of Grifco’s sustainability journey has been understanding how much waste from the Gosford manufacturing facility goes to landfill. Prior to pallet recycling, the facility was already recycling the majority of its waste—around 80% by weight—including all steel off‑cuts. The remaining 20%, made up of pallets and plastics, still ended up in landfill.

By redesigning packaging with global suppliers and introducing a closed‑loop pallet recycling solution, Grifco has now eliminated nearly all wood waste. Only a small portion of soft plastics remains as the final challenge to achieving zero landfill waste.

Finding the Right Recycling Partner

Identifying a suitable recycler for pallet waste took significant time and investigation, as few companies had the technology or capability to process this type of material. Eventually, Grifco partnered with ReDirect, a specialist in wood recovery and circular‑economy solutions.

ReDirect began with an audit of Grifco’s wood waste, confirming that nearly all pallet material could be recycled. The new recycling process integrated easily into existing workflows—pallet waste is now collected in a designated bin and transported to ReDirect’s nearby facility for processing.

How the Recycling Process Works

At ReDirect’s facility, wood waste is sorted and processed into woodchip. This material is then repurposed into:

• Animal bedding
• Particleboard for construction and joinery
• Other engineered wood products

This closed‑loop recycling model keeps resources circulating within the local economy and reduces the need for new materials.

Progress and Next Steps

Grifco has been working toward zero waste for several years, and the pallet recycling program represents a major leap forward. With wood waste now effectively diverted from landfill, the remaining focus is on finding a scalable solution for soft plastic recycling.

Grifco is currently exploring partnerships and emerging technologies that will enable the recycling of plastic waste, which is expected to eliminate an additional tonne of landfill material annually once fully implemented.

About ReDirect

ReDirect Wood Recycling provides a closed‑loop wood recovery service designed to extend the lifecycle of raw and engineered wood products. Their model creates an industrial ecology that turns waste into valuable resources and supports sustainable manufacturing practices.