The business of boosting Scottish manufacturing by making it more circular – unlocking the economic opportunities of maximising resource use and developing new business models – is being addressed through at a series of high profile lectures and masterclasses launched by Zero Waste Scotland and backed by European and Scottish Government funding.

A programme of leading speakers from the world of manufacturing was launched in Glasgow last week, with the inaugural industry lecture delivered by Mark Dempsey, UK & Ireland Sustainability Manager at IT giant HP Inc.

The next industry lecture on the topic, “How to profit from product service systems – lease and asset management/sharing” will be delivered by Dr Stafford Lloyd, of RiverSimple Hydrogen Cars, on the 1st February 2018, at the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh.

Riversimple is the world’s first independent manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cell passenger vehicles. Beyond this, Riversimple is also the first car company to adopt a circular service-based ownership model – which rewards longevity, efficiency and recovery of value at end of life, with no actual product for sale. In his lecture, Dr Stafford Lloyd will address the current industrial shift from selling products to providing ‘Product Service-Systems’, and the new business and market opportunities this represents to the manufacturing sector.

This free evening lecture will be followed by a drinks reception and a networking event.

This prestigious series of manufacturing events is aimed at industry leaders, especially in high-value sectors such as aerospace, engineering, marine, defence, automotive and oil and gas.

To register, please visit the Zero Waste Scotland website http://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/circular-economy/masterclasses

The remaining series of lectures includes:

• 1st February – Dr Stafford Lloyd, RiverSimple Hydrogen Cars: How to profit from lease, asset management and product service systems (Edinburgh)
• 7th February – Dr Conny Bakker, TU Delft University: How to profit from repair, remanufacturing and closed loop recycling (Glasgow)
• 8th March – Irene Casanova: Deutsche Post DHL: How to manage incentivised return, take back and reverse logistics; material and component reuse (Dundee)
• 14th March – Tapani Jokinen, Circular Devices: How to design and specify for Circular Economy – for durability, repair, reuse, remanufacture and recycling (Edinburgh)

The Scotland-wide programme of lectures, part of delivery of the Manufacturing Action Plan, is free and supplemented by full day masterclasses aimed at Scotland’s small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) who wish to explore the potential of circular economy business models in manufacturing.

A circular economy is one in which everything has value and nothing is wasted, and new business models move away from the old pattern of ‘take, make and dispose.’

This work forms the basis of Zero Waste Scotland’s commitment to Scotland’s Manufacturing Action Plan, which is being led by Scottish Enterprise.

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland, said:

Our manufacturers are in a strong position to lead the charge in developing a more circular economy here in Scotland, with all the benefits that entails. I urge key sector figures to sign up for our lecture series, a terrific opportunity to network, hear new ideas, be inspired and learn from the experts how to ‘skill up’ to be able to exploit the opportunities more circular business models offer.”

Scotland is at the cutting edge of developing a more circular economy – designing products and services to keep materials in use for as long as possible – and harnessing the innovation of our manufacturers could realise huge economic and environmental benefits.

The country is recognised as a world-leader in the shift to a circular economy, having this year won the Circular Economy Nations and Regions Category at the high-profile Circulars Awards.

Manufacturing has been identified as a key sector with the greatest opportunity to deliver circular economy benefits for Scotland, in the Scottish Government’s Making Things Last strategy. Realising a circular economy in Scotland’s manufacturing sector means rethinking the manufacturing process – from design, to manufacture, disassembly and then remanufacture. This work forms the basis of Zero Waste Scotland’s commitment to Scotland’s Manufacturing Action Plan, which is being led by Scottish Enterprise.

As such manufacturing is a key target sector for Zero Waste Scotland’s £18m Circular Economy Investment Fund. Awards of up to £1million are available for SMEs from the fund, which is specifically targeted to deliver circular economy growth. In addition, the Circular Economy Business Support Service delivers tailored, expert, one-to-one consultancy directly to small and medium sized businesses across all sectors in Scotland.

Zero Waste Scotland’s work to accelerate a more circular economy is supported by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the £73m Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Accelerator Programme.

Find out more about the Circular Economy Fund and Service here

For more information about the lecture series and masterclasses, or to book your place, please visit  http://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/circular-economy/masterclasses

While the lectures are open to all businesses, with particular emphasis on SMEs, the masterclasses are for SMEs only.