{"id":8003,"date":"2020-09-15T12:13:29","date_gmt":"2020-09-15T11:13:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=8003"},"modified":"2026-01-29T10:10:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T10:10:11","slug":"guide-to-circular-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/guide-to-circular-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"A manufacturer\u2019s guide to unlocking the value of the circular economy"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/strategy-legal-operations\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Strategy, Legal &amp; Operations<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tA manufacturer\u2019s guide to unlocking the value of the circular economy\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2020-09-15T12:13:29+01:00\">15 September, 2020<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"A manufacturer\u2019s guide to unlocking the value of the circular economy\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/guide-to-circular-economy\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/asavinwattanajantra\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/03\/Asavin-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Asavin\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/03\/Asavin-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/03\/Asavin-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/03\/Asavin-810x810.jpg 810w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/03\/Asavin.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Asavin Wattanajantra<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For a manufacturer, a successful future may involve the circular economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By reducing waste through material and energy use in manufacturing products and services, your business is capable of reducing costs and reaching sustainability aims through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/circular-economy-implementation-tips-manufacturers\/\">circular economy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In our new guide on the circular economy, we speak to experts and examine circular economy manufacturing research, looking at what the state of play is today and what you need to do for the future:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Find out why <strong>joining the circular economy could be positive for your business<\/strong>, whether you are a discrete or process manufacturer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Look at <strong>how the circular economy can benefit your business<\/strong> when it comes to profitability and look at new commercial opportunities in refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Read <strong>case studies from those who have implemented circular economy principles<\/strong> at their businesses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Examine why the <strong>circular economy can help support your sustainability aims<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Understand why you may need to look at <strong>designing your products with reusability in mind<\/strong> to follow circular economy principles properly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Take a <strong>deep-dive into the technology needed and transformation involved<\/strong>. The circular economy is now within reach because of technology and Industry 4.0.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Read tips on implementing the circular economy in your business, providing advice on <strong>how to share the circular economy message<\/strong> <strong>with other leaders<\/strong> in a language they understand.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"#gate-bf72b3ac-2b06-476a-b6fc-219a5c538858\">Download your free guide, How manufacturers unlock value from the circular economy, and take steps now to achieve your efficiency and sustainability goals<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-the-circular-economy\">What is the circular economy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The circular economy is a system that looks to eliminate waste and the continual use of resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A traditional linear economy is where we make, consume, and throw away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moving to a circular economy is all about creating a circle where we design out waste and pollution but keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible, finding ways to create new resources from what we discard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The world is changing. People are more conscious of their impact on the environment. Businesses are finding it more challenging to get access to raw materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the circular economy, we\u2019re extracting the maximum value from products while in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The circular economy puts a big focus on services, maintenance, and refurbishment of assets. However, as resources become more and more scarce, manufacturers and distributors in the circular economy are introducing additional value-added services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-is-the-circular-economy-within-reach\">Why is the circular economy within reach?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The circular economy is now within reach because of technology and Industry 4.0. For a long time, we\u2019ve been taking resources, making products, and disposing of them as waste. Now through the fourth industrial revolution, we can look to eliminate waste through technologies such as the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-cloud\">The cloud<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Best-practice circular economy manufacturers take advantage of cloud solutions, with software managing aspects such as system infrastructure, operating system, database, and applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-internet-of-things-iot\">The Internet of Things (IoT)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Through the IoT, you can now connect products you develop to the cloud, analysing performance and collecting usage data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can monitor and analyse products as a distance \u2013 creating happy customers by building products that are long-lasting and durable, which can reduce waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, circular strategies such as recycling can be made more efficient through the use of data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-artificial-intelligence-ai-and-automation\">Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>AI and automation could accelerate the transition towards a circular economy at scale in three particular areas: product design, operations, and infrastructure operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>AI allows the development of new products through machine-assisted design processes, the speeding up of prediction analysis and smart inventory management, and improved remanufacturing and recycling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-robotics\">Robotics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s human error that tends to create product errors in the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By using automation and robots in a growing number of applications, you can increase yield, reduce waste, and extend the life of a product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3d-printing\">3D printing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With 3D printing, you can quickly produce spare parts on-demand, which can extend the life of products or equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Closely linked with digitization and Industry 4.0, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/servitisation-manufacturers-business\/\">servitisation<\/a> can businesses new opportunities to offer services and solutions through the circular economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These include attractive add-ons, such as implementation, maintenance, upgrades, and product lifecycle. It also creates new billing and financing options for customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"#gate-bf72b3ac-2b06-476a-b6fc-219a5c538858\">Download your free guide, How manufacturers unlock value from the circular economy, and take steps now to achieve your efficiency and sustainability goals<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-you-need-to-download-this-guide\">Why you need to download this guide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Here is an excerpt from the last chapter of the guide \u2013 &#8216;Making the circular economy argument\u2019:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we\u2019ve examined in detail, the circular economy can bring significant benefits to your business by bringing in new customers, increasing profits, and cutting costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can beat the competition when it comes to innovation, brand reputation, and sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the circular economy, look for practical solutions to problems that already exist, and new opportunities that you wouldn\u2019t get with a linear economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you understand what ideas could help with your existing challenges and opportunities, and highlight the benefits of new approaches and the downside of current ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn from the success of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many businesses, both large and small, across many industries, have adopted circular economy principles and strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look at case studies and take the information and insight you need. Build a circular economy story by identifying the shortcomings of a linear economy and the value you can create, building an argument on why you need to change, and addressing any misconceptions people may have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to activating a circular economy strategy, start small and move quickly by developing trials and pilots to prove the benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">How manufacturers unlock value from the circular economy<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discover how adopting the circular economy at your manufacturing firm can help you achieve your sustainability and efficiency goals, among others.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-bf72b3ac-2b06-476a-b6fc-219a5c538858\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download your free guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1223998386-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1223998386-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Join more than 500,000 UK readers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-b1a63862-3fa0-4a5e-bb67-c76b88bbc6b8\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For a manufacturer, a successful future may involve the circular economy. Read our new business guide to take advantage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":356,"featured_media":11507,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[139,9,11],"tags":[155],"business_type":[3],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[61],"persona":[68,71],"imagine_tag":[95,96],"coauthors":[351],"class_list":["post-8003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-free-guides-templates","category-strategy-legal-operations","category-technology-innovation","tag-manufacturing","business_type-medium-sized-business","industry-manufacturing"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Asavin Wattanajantra","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1301188720.jpg","imagine_tags":{"95":"Manufacturing","96":"Medium businesses"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/356"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8003"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8003\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/11507"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8003"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=8003"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=8003"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=8003"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=8003"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=8003"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=8003"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=8003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}