Applelec Shortlisted for Made in Britain Impact Award for Sustainability Initiative of the Year

Applelec is delighted to announce that it has been shortlisted for the Made in Britain Impact Awards 2025, in the category of Sustainability Initiative of the Year. The recognition celebrates Applelec’s pioneering Applelec Recycling and Refurbishment Scheme, an initiative driving genuine progress towards circularity within the signage and architectural lighting industry.

Building on the company’s Made in Britain award-winning Applelec ECO Pledge in 2022, the Applelec Recycling Scheme represents the next evolution in Applelec’s sustainability journey. The scheme provides customers with a responsible way to return qualifying end-of-life Applelec products, such as the Applelec LED Light Sheet, ECO Letters, and ECO Lightboxes, for either recycling or refurbishment, ensuring materials and components are kept in use for as long as possible.

The recycling element of the scheme enables materials such as acrylic, aluminium, and electrical components to be separated and processed through a trusted network of sustainability partners, ensuring they are recycled or repurposed responsibly and diverted from landfill. This approach extends Applelec’s commitment beyond its own manufacturing to its wider supply chain, closing the loop between production, use, and end-of-life management.

The refurbishment side of the scheme offers customers the opportunity to extend the lifespan of existing products—upgrading LEDs, replacing lightbox skins, or repainting shells—allowing them to refresh and reuse infrastructure with minimal environmental impact. This reduces both cost and waste, while providing a sustainable alternative to complete replacement.

Designed with circularity at its core, the initiative has already delivered measurable results. The Applelec LED Light Sheet became the first in the industry to achieve a TM66 circularity rating of 2.7 (“Excellent”), a milestone made possible through the scheme’s focus on design for disassembly, reuse, and end-of-life planning. This success was further reflected when Applelec’s ECO Letters—developed under the same sustainability framework—won Eco Product of the Year at the 2025 VM & Display Awards.

“Our shortlisting is a huge honour and a reflection of the teamwork and innovation that drives Applelec,” said Rachel Gould, Marketing Manager at Applelec. “Our Recycling and Refurbishment Scheme is more than a sustainability project—it’s a statement of intent. It demonstrates how circular design, responsible manufacturing, and collaboration can work together to create lasting change in a high-waste industry. We’re incredibly proud to be recognised by Made in Britain for leading that change.”

The winners of the Made in Britain Impact Awards 2025 will be announced on 5th November 2025, celebrating the achievements of British manufacturers making a positive difference for people and the planet. Applelec is proud to be shortlisted alongside other innovative and like-minded British companies who share our commitment to sustainable design, responsible manufacturing, and driving positive change across UK industry.

To learn more about the Applelec Recycling and Refurbishment Scheme and how it’s helping close the loop on sustainable signage and lighting, visit👉 www.applelecgroup.co.uk/recycling-scheme