In a sector first, Cemex UK will begin shipping bagged cement on The Pallet LOOP’s reusable green pallets this October, cutting waste, reducing carbon, and advancing circularity in construction supply chains.
September 2025 – The Pallet LOOP has secured another major industry milestone with Cemex UK becoming the first cement manufacturer to adopt its circular economy pallet system. From October, the company’s core Rugby Cement products will be distributed nationwide on LOOP’s distinctive green pallets, designed for recovery, repair, and reuse.
The agreement marks Cemex’s latest step toward sustainable packaging as part of its broader Future in Action strategy, which targets carbon neutrality by 2050 through climate action, circularity, and natural resource management.
Cemex is the first business in the cement industry to integrate LOOP pallets into its supply chain. Beginning in October 2025, the Rugby plant’s bagged cement range – including Premium Cement (paper and plastic bags), High Strength, and Sulfate – will be shipped on FSC-certified green pallets. The move will expand across additional products in future phases.
“This is a significant step forward for the cement industry,” said Vicki Elliott, National Sales Manager for Bagged Cement at Cemex UK. “We’ve supported The Pallet LOOP from day one, signing its charter back in 2022. Now, we’re proud to be the first in our sector to integrate this solution into our supply chain. It’s about doing the right thing, as simply as possible – reducing waste, cutting carbon, and helping our customers make more sustainable choices.”
Tackling Construction’s Single-Use Pallet Problem
The Pallet LOOP, part of timber and forestry business BSW Group, is an award-winning reuse scheme created to address construction’s long-standing reliance on single-use pallets. Traditionally, fewer than 10% of pallets in the sector have been reused, generating more than 250,000 tonnes of wood waste annually.
LOOP’s green pallets are built for multiple trips, backed by a nationwide collection service, and offer financial incentives for returns. For customers of Rugby Cement, this provides both environmental and economic benefits, aligning construction supply chains with circular economy principles.
Elliott emphasized that the partnership is about collaboration and customer value. “This partnership reflects our belief that small steps toward circularity can make a big difference. We’re excited to work with our customers and partners to drive positive change across the industry,” she said.
“This agreement shows how forward-thinking manufacturers such as Cemex are reimagining their supply chains, not just for efficiency, but for positive environmental impact,” said Andy Williamson, Managing Director at The Pallet LOOP. “By choosing our circular economy pallets, Cemex is proving that sustainability and smart business can go hand in hand. They join a growing number of material manufacturers that are now using our pallets to great effect – driving benefits for their business and their customers. We’re excited to get pallets rolling for Cemex early next month, marking another major step forward in changing how materials move across the UK construction industry.”
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Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
