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BUILDING A GREENER FUTURE: HOW STEELITE LEADS IN SUSTAINABILITY

At Core Catering Supplies, we believe great hospitality shouldn’t come at the planet’s expense. That’s why we proudly serve as the sole distributor in South Africa of Steelite, a global leader in sustainable tableware. Together, we provide customers with high-quality, durable products while supporting a shared commitment to environmental responsibility. Choosing Steelite through Core means investing in both exceptional hospitality and a greener future.

Steelite’s Environmental Leadership

For Steelite, caring for the environment is nothing new. Since 1996, the company has been certified to the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard, demonstrating its long-standing commitment to minimising its impact on the planet. Over the years, it has introduced pioneering initiatives that have set new standards within the ceramics industry. In 2007, Steelite became one of the first manufacturers in the UK to install a Lamella machine, an innovative system that recycles more than 350 tonnes of clay waste every year. That is 350 tonnes of material that no longer needs to be quarried, transported, or sent to landfill, saving energy, cutting emissions, and preserving natural landscapes.

Steelite has continued to build on these efforts with further innovations. The company introduced a centrifuge system that spins waste material out of water, reclaiming valuable glaze while also recycling around 20 cubic metres of water every day. This reduces waste, saves resources, and improves the quality of water leaving the site, ensuring the business has a positive effect on the local environment as well as the wider world.

Today, Steelite recycles more than 99 percent of all its operational waste, a remarkable achievement for such a resource-intensive industry. Its environmental leadership has been recognised with multiple Green Apple Awards as well as Gold Membership of The Green Organisation, a global body that rewards and promotes environmental best practice. Beyond its own operations, Steelite has supported initiatives such as tree planting programmes in areas most affected by climate change and funding new UK woodland with the Woodland Trust, capturing hundreds of tonnes of carbon in the process.

Innovation for Positive Impact

What is most inspiring about Steelite is that its sustainability journey is not just about reducing harm. It is about finding creative ways to make a positive difference. Every year, the company now produces around 750,000 cups and saucers using clay recycled through its Lamella system. This is a powerful example of how innovation can transform waste into something new, useful, and beautiful while supporting the hospitality sector with products that last.

The Lamella System:

  • recycles 350 tonnes of clay every year – enough to make 15 000 cups and sauces
  • won the GREEN APPLE AWARD for it’s positive impact on the environment
  • filters and reuses water with much less chemical use
  • reduces the need for transporting new clay
  • helps Steelite recover over 90% of all it’s manufacturing waste

What You Can Do

By supporting responsible manufacturers and making conscious choices, we can all help reduce our industry’s environmental impact and contribute to a greener, more resilient future. At Core Catering, we fully embrace this philosophy, encouraging everyone in the hospitality sector to take meaningful action for the planet.