SMT is committed to doing its part in the transition to a more sustainable and responsible economy in all its territories. To do this, we are starting to monitor many data points for each of our subsidiaries, which will allow us to have a global view of the impacts of our activities.
Waste is one of the topics tracked within our Sustainability strategy. As an equipment & services dealer in several industrial markets ranging from construction, mining, material handling or crushing and screening, our position in the value chain presents unique challenges when it comes to waste reduction. We are present in several parts of the world, each with its own set of regulations. In addition, we operate between two powerful forces:
Upstream, before the field
Our suppliers (OEMs) provide the machines, and most are making efforts to reduce the environmental impact of their manufacturing. While we don’t control that process, we are beginning to discuss with key suppliers to find solutions:
SMT GB discusses with Volvo Construction Equipment to reduce oil waste in the field
For the services in the field, the barrels of oil ordered for the machines were in big volumes, generating a lot of oil wasted due to not being used. After consultation with SMT, Volvo changed the size of the oil drums to also supply 5L ones, making it more cost effective and generating less waste.
ROMCO discusses with Volvo Construction Equipment to reduce order packagings
ROMCO implemented a procedure to consolidate emergency parts orders from VCE into a single order per branch, minimizing packaging waste and transportation emissions.
Downstream, beyond the field
Our customers operate the machines, and their usage leads to end-of-life waste. Although we don’t manage this phase directly, we contribute by remarketing machines and parts, proposing maintenance and repairs to extend the lifespan of machines. We can also provide trainings to machine Operators to have a more eco-friendly use of the equipment, limiting the use of fuel.
Internally, our own operations also generate waste – from office activities to field services. That is where we have the most impact. Across our different regions, local initiatives have been implemented:
Work on circularity and reuse in Belgium and at AGGPRO
Starting end of 2023, SMT Belux installed resources boxes (from GAIA) in its Vilvoorde site to collect, sort and separate employees’ used Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), changed regularly for shoes and work-clothes. The dismantled products were then made into re-used and recycled products, e.g. clothes turned into textile for the automotive industry.
In 2025, the partnership with GAIA helped save 101,4 m3 of water compared to new PPE, 123kg of CO2 emissions saved and 342 hours of social employment created.
Similarly, AGGPRO makes a conscious effort to reuse Engineers’ clothing, by using an external company to wash, restore and return overalls for site usage. Even following AGGPRO’s rebrand a few months ago, PPE was not thrown away. Instead, AGGPRO worked with a local embroider to cover the previous logo rather than replacing all items with new PPE.
Reuse of packaging materials in Great Britain
By reusing incoming pallets and cardboard boxes for product packaging, SMT GB use less packaging material. They also have an in-house shredding machine that will shred cardboard waste so they can use it as void filler, to replace purchased plastic or cardboard void filler to protect their products during transport.
Collaboration with waste partners in the Netherlands
Together with their waste partner Greenwaste, SMT Netherlands conducted a tour of all depots across the country to assess and identify opportunities for improvement in on-site waste management. They also hold an annual strategic meeting with Greenwaste to review the yearly waste reports, explore optimization possibilities, and identify ways to further reduce and separate waste streams.
Reduction of single-use plastics in ROMCO
With the primary goal of reducing plastic bottle waste and be more cost effective, ROMCO installed additional purified water systems to promote healthy hydration of the workforce. Implementation involves the seamless integration of these systems into daily operations, alongside the distribution of reusable water bottles to encourage sustainable practices.
18,024 bottles have already been saved since spring 2024 on just one site since the implementation of a water fountain. 6 sites have now been equipped with reusable water bottles.
To know where to take action, we first need to monitor the rights metrics to know where we stand. This takes the involvement of many people across the whole group, it is the occasion to thanks all of them for their great contribution.
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