Plastic Card Services nominated by David Rutley MP for nationwide ‘Made By Britain’ scheme
Local firm, Plastic Card Services (PCS), has been chosen to represent the Macclesfield area as part of a national scheme designed to highlight the best of British manufacturing and industry.
Constituency MP David Rutley has nominated the company’s biodegradable plastic card for the national ‘Made By Britain’ collection, as an admirable representative of industry in the Macclesfield constituency.
PCS MD Rob Nicholls said: “We passionately support the Made By Britain campaign and are particularly proud that we have been recognised for our environmental efforts. As one of the first plastic card manufacturers in Europe to incorporate both biodegradable materials and waterless print processes, we are keen to show our customers and the industry as a whole that plastic cards can be sustainable.
“Our biodegradable cards are made from bioPVC which is designed to compost in less than three years and the waterless print process can significantly reduce the harmful emissions.”
The national Made By Britain project is being led by the Associate Parliamentary Manufacturing Group (APMG), a group of cross-party MPs and Peers that works to raise the profile of British manufacturing and design.
The scheme was launched in July 2011 by Secretary of State Vince Cable. Speaking at the launch, he said: “British industry remains among the very best for the quality and originality of what it makes. We export our goods to every corner of the world, from famous international brands to products which, while less well known, make a real difference to the lives of millions. With the Olympics bringing so much attention to Britain this is a fantastic opportunity to show the rest of the world that we make world-beating products.”
All 650 MPs in Britain have been asked to nominate a product that is manufactured in their own constituency. The product could be anything from jam to silicon chips, from baby monitors to farming equipment – the only criteria is that it is designed or manufactured locally.
Commenting on why PCS’ biodegradable plastic card was chosen, David Rutley MP said: “It is a real example of British ingenuity. Rather than taking up to a thousand years to degrade as a normal PVC card would, the PCS card degrades in less than three years. That is why Coop Danmark came to PCS to supply it with its new loyalty cards.
The biodegradable plastic card is a perfect example of a British product at the cutting edge of green manufacturing and exports.” The biodegradable plastic card product is now featured in an interactive map on the APMG’s website, and will be showcased in several other projects the group is developing, including exhibitions and photography competitions.
Chris White MP, the APMG’s co-chair, said: “Too many people in this country believe that we don’t manufacture anymore. Nothing could be further from the truth. The UK is, in fact, the world’s 6th largest manufacturer. We need a manufacturing renaissance in Britain, and encouraging creativity and productivity in each and every constituency will be critical to making this happen.”
The APMG hopes to uncover some hidden and inspiring stories of industrial endeavour, raise awareness of the challenges facing our productive industries, and realign the outdated concept of ‘manufacturing’ in the minds of the public.
