Supporting the Circular Economy

International Synergies Ltd is pleased to continue its long-standing delivery of facilitated industrial symbiosis services to businesses in Birmingham and Solihull through the UKSPF-funded Circular Economy for Birmingham and Solihull (CEBAS) project.

The project aims to deliver cost and carbon savings to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Birmingham and Solihull by improving their resource efficiency, supporting both Birmingham City and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Councils to reach their own Net Zero goals. 

Waste is a resource in the wrong place and it impacts the profitability of your business. The CEBAS free business support provides SMEs with the opportunity to:

• Reduce operational costs through improved resource efficiency
• Improve profitability by reducing waste and disposal costs
• Minimise energy costs through improved efficiency measures
• Learn and share knowledge about resource efficiency and carbon management
• Assist with environmental compliance and waste reporting
• Access technologies and processes to support the circular economy

Reducing waste through CEBAS saves money and resources. We help you to identify your by-products, wastes and other under-utilised resources that can be used by another organisation, either in the same condition or after reprocessing. We then facilitate introductions to potential partner companies and support you to realise these new business opportunities. 

Examples of waste streams, by-products and resources include: 

• Process waste – Sludge, metals, chemicals, oil, food waste, filter cakes, process off-cuts 
• Packaging waste – Pallets, cardboard, paper, plastic, glass, drums, IBCs
• Energy and water – Electricity and gas consumption, use of renewable technologies, condensate, steam, water to drain/river/treatment
• Redundant equipment and capacity – Electrical and process equipment, warehouse space, empty vehicle movements, old PCs, office furniture, meeting/conference facilities

Through CEBAS, companies can achieve substantial cost savings and generate sales from new markets. The CEBAS Project offers you the opportunity to attend: 

• Resource Matching Workshops: Identify new opportunities by matching one company’s waste to the required process input of another. 
• Training Events: Attend events to learn about resource efficiency, carbon literacy, waste management best practice and green office planning.

Event details will be posted at Events | International Synergies (international-synergies.com).

SMEs must be located within Birmingham and Solihull and employ fewer than 250 full-time equivalent personnel. SMEs must also have either an annual turnover of under £43.5 million or an annual balance sheet total of under £37 million. 

For details on how your SME can benefit from this free initiative, please contact the team at International Synergies Ltd via email CEBAS@international-synergies.com or phone 0121 433 2660. 

The 15-month CEBAS project received £520,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit UK Shared Prosperity Fund: prospectus – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)