The UK’s Textile Recycling Assocation has welcomed the use of sensor tracking technology that recently helped recover a stolen clothes bank in London.

Lontex Exports Ltd collects and exports quality second-hand textiles to Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia, and was able to recover one of its own stolen clothes banks thanks to a particular type of sensor tracking technology from REEN.

Lontex began working with REEN, a Norwegian waste management technology provider, that combines world-class sensors and intelligent cloud-based tools, at the end of April.

As part of its REEN CMS Volume service, REEN installed sensors inside the company’s clothes banks with the aim of providing Lontex with better visibility of the location, condition and fill levels of each of its banks to optimise collection processes.

The partnership proved to be very timely, as shortly after the sensor installation, one of Lontex’s larger clothes banks was stolen.

It is thanks to the REEN CMS Volume sensors, that the clothes bank was confirmed to be missing from its assigned location shortly after it was stolen. REEN was then able to monitor the movement of the bank during the time it was missing. The position of the bank was identified to within an approximate mile radius and a helpful local resident then provided the exact location so the bank could be recovered – saving Lontex the £800 it would cost to replace.

Alan Wheeler, CEO of the Textile Recycling Association commented, “We welcome the development and use of data-led technologies provided by companies such as REEN that can reduce the many negative impacts of clothes bank thefts.”

“The public use these convenient banks in good faith with the intention that the clothes will be reused or recycled. Such thefts not only threaten businesses such as Lontex and the thousands of green jobs in the used clothing and textile industry, but they also deny many charity partners or cash-strapped local authorities much needed income to deliver their vital services.”

Tom Dugdale, Head of Textile Recycling at Lontex Exports, said, “REEN’s CMS Volume technology really proved valuable in helping us first confirm that the clothes bank had indeed been stolen, and then approximately where it had been moved to. Ultimately, we were able to successfully recover the stolen clothes bank and get it back in its rightful place.”

Tom added, “I spent a lot of time on the phone with the REEN team to help resolve the situation and they were fantastic in providing reassurance that the bank was being monitored at all times and then helping us recover it – all thanks to their data and tracking technology.”

Piers Barron, REEN’s Chief Sales Officer, said, “Thankfully, this unfortunate incident has a happy ending and is a great example of how REEN leverages the power of sensors to identify, track and monitor containers, and supply invaluable data for our clients.”

REEN supplies data-led waste management services for organisations looking to improve the efficiency of its waste management practices, including waste management companies, independent businesses, service providers and local authorities.

Photo caption: A Lontex Exports Ltd clothes bank with a REEN CMS Volume sensor installed.

Note to editors:

REEN technology provides the valuable insight needed to transform how companies collect, transport, and distribute their waste. With long-term goals to lower operational costs and environmental impacts, its mission is to streamline waste management and recycling operations.

For the past decade, REEN’s parent company, ABAX, developed and invested in telecommunications, vehicular technologies, and computer science to become the second-largest telematics company in Europe. After branching off to focus on waste management solutions, REEN acquired Enevo – a global sensor technology developer and dynamic route solution provider.

Today, REEN stands as a uniquely advanced provider of cutting-edge cloud tools and sensors. As the company continues to grow and develop its technology, it aims to set the stage for a new era of group collaboration and innovation within the waste management industry. www.reen.com

For more information, please contact Hannah Bull, Media Matters, 01733 371363, [email protected]