From waste to value – developing sustainable material flows together with JBM Recycling
Since May 2025, PostNord TPL and JBM Recycling have been working together to develop smarter, more sustainable material flows across our facilities in Sweden. The collaboration now spans several sites and has delivered reduced environmental impact, more efficient transport, and greater value from recycling efforts.
In just one year, the volume of combustible waste has fallen by more than 105 tonnes, while estimated transport needs have dropped by just over 22 percent. Material recycling and reuse rates have also risen, from 75.5 to 82.9 percent.
A data-driven approach to improvement
The collaboration is built on a method called Waste Flow Mapping, which charts material flows in detail to identify opportunities for improvement. By combining data analysis with site visits and dialogue with operations teams, it becomes possible to find solutions that both reduce waste and improve resource efficiency.
– It's about understanding how material moves through the operation. When we analyze the flows together, we often find improvements that reduce environmental impact while also creating business value, says Christoffer Jonasson, Sales Manager, JBM Recycling AB.
From cost to revenue
One of the clearest examples comes from Jönköping, where large volumes of plastic crates that had previously gone to incineration were identified. By establishing new recycling pathways, more than 56 tonnes of plastic could be material-recycled instead. What was once a cost became a source of value.
The same principle has been applied to electronic waste. By separating circuit boards from other electronic materials, resources with high recycling value could be recovered. A single delivery of just over 10 tonnes of circuit boards generated more than SEK 83,000 in material compensation, while eliminating previous treatment costs.
Sustainability and efficiency go hand in hand
For PostNord TPL, the collaboration is about more than recycling alone. Building smarter processes into day-to-day operations is just as important.
– Sustainability is a natural part of how we develop our business. Through our collaboration with JBM, we've been able to combine environmental improvements with greater efficiency and better use of resources. That creates value both for us and for our customers, says Johan Lundberg, KAM/Business Development Manager, PostNord TPL.
The work now spans several facilities and continues to evolve. The next step is to roll out the approach at additional sites and keep identifying new opportunities to reduce waste, increase recycling, and optimize material flows.
A partnership focused on continuous improvement
A key part of the collaboration's success lies in combining PostNord TPL's operational knowledge with JBM's specialist expertise in recycling, material analysis, and logistics.
– We see the biggest results when we work closely with the operations and follow up on the impact over time. That's when a single improvement can grow into a long-term way of working, says Christoffer Jonasson, Sales Manager, JBM Recycling AB.