Supply chain services company Barloworld Logistics has relaunched its environmental solutions brand re- as the SmartMatta company, which is aimed at assisting companies in reducing waste sent to landfill, as well as lowering resource consumption and harmful emissions.

Speaking at the launch on Thursday, Barloworld CEO Steve Ford noted that the demand for specialised, environment-friendly services was on the rise. “As part of our commitment to building a focused environmental solutions business, we acquired the remaining [74.9%] stake in SmartMatta in April.”

Barloworld initially acquired a 25.1% stake in re- in 2013.

“Our only regret is that we hadn’t acquired more of the company earlier on, as we would’ve been more advanced with SmartMatta,” he explained.

The acquisition of SmartMatta demonstrated Barloworld’s commitment to constantly finding innovative ways to drive economic, social and environmental sustainability. “It is not just about ticking the boxes of compliance as a corporate company.”

SmartMatta had already been integrated into the solution sets available to Barloworld Logistics’ clients through the group’s business development team and had become a supplier to several Barloworld businesses. It had entered into an outsourced transport contract with Barloworld Transport (BWT), with some 40 vehicles on fleet and would be servicing major Barloworld Logistics clients.

SmartMatta MD Marilize Worst explained that, as part of Barloworld Logistics, the company was now able to accelerate its exploration of new solutions and services, and fulfil its mission of zero waste-to-landfill.

Speaking to Engineering News Online, Worst explained that SmartMatta would work through the waste hierarchy and eliminate as much out of the profile as possible. “We help business look at their procurement strategies and their supply chains to try and get that waste down.”

SmartMatta currently serviced over 170 sites across South Africa, covering the private sector covering fast-moving consumer goods manufacturing, heavy industry, retail, distribution centres and packaging, as well as parastatal organisations.

Worst added that the company, which currently employed about 700 people, would look at more opportunities for waste management on the continent through the links gained in the Barloworld acquisition.