Armor Africa diverts waste from landfill with construction industry partnership

Parent company Armor ICP has set a global goal of 100 percent zero waste to landfill for all 19 of its production sites in 2018.

Armor Africa’s Gauteng facility had been sending its waste ribbon to landfill because it isn’t recyclable, with ink not able to be separated from the PET film layer. However, in December 2017, a compactor was installed and the compressed waste is now collected by a local cement manufacturer for use as solid fuel in its kilns.

Formed in 2014, Armor Africa became the first on the continent to manufacture high-quality thermal transfer ribbons for OEMs and a network of resellers. Until then, the African market consisted of third-party suppliers, buying jumbo rolls directly from coating manufacturers and slitting them into generic ribbons.

Its manufacturing facility in Gauteng, South Africa is ISO 9001 certified and on track to implement ISO 18001 Occupational Health & Safety and ISO 14001 Environmental Management certifications during the coming year.

inkanto was introduced last year as a direct brand for Armor’s thermal transfer offering, providing a focal point for the products and services of the group’s largest area of activity. Armor has now begun shipping the first thermal transfer ribbons bearing its inkanto brand.