Fastenal enters agreement with Trex to supply PE film

Fastenal Co., an industrial supplies provider headquartered in Winona, Minnesota, has entered into an agreement with Winchester, Virginia-based Trex Co. to supply it with polyethylene (PE) film scrap for use in its production of wood-alternative composite decking, railing and other outdoor building products. 

Trex manufactures its products using 95 percent recycled and reclaimed materials, including a mix of PE film and industrial wood scrap. Fastenal says the agreement will aid in its pursuit of its objective to reduce consumption and environmental impact throughout its operations.  

In a release, Fastenal says it is collecting used PE film from its distribution centers, branches and customer-specific onsite locations and shipping it to Trex to use in manufacturing its products. Fastenal explains it uses PE film to secure boxes and other packaging to pallets for shipment.  

"Pallet wrap is vital to our daily operations, but once the product is unwrapped, we have no use for it," says David Olson, director of Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability for Fastenal. "Working with Trex to turn all that potential waste into sustainable outdoor building products is a win for both organizations." 

Fastenal says it has invested more than $300,000 in equipment and infrastructure in its U.S. distribution centers to bale and consolidate used PE film for recycling by Trex. In the first year of the program, Fastenal expects to divert an estimated 600,000 pounds of plastic from landfills through material collected within its distribution centers. Additionally, more than 2,500 U.S. Fastenal branches and onsite locations can participate by using the company's regular truck routes to backhaul used material to the nearest distribution center for baling, consolidation and shipment to Trex. 

This agreement is part of Trex’s NexTrex Recycling Program, in which the company partners with commercial businesses and community organizations across the country to collect and transport recycled plastic material to its manufacturing facilities in Winchester and Fernley, Nevada. 

"We applaud Fastenal's commitment to creating a more sustainable business model by participating in the NexTrex Recycling Program," says Dave Heglas, senior director of Supply Chain Excellence for Trex. "The contributions of eco-minded partners, like Fastenal, are not only integral to our manufacturing process, but also critical to addressing our country's growing plastic waste problem."