Innovation

As mentioned in the interview, Movilex believes that "The essence of a real circular economy is that anything in our environment, even if it’s old or at the end of its life, can be reused or decomposed to create something new and modern with the same components, so we don’t have to continue sacrificing natural resources. It’s about living from what we already have, adapting it to new trends, technologies, and demands." And this objective comes across various UN SDGs that the company develops through its activity.

We can differentiate between internal and external activity. Within the internal activity of the company, Movilex also implements a sustainable and efficient working method. This is shown in their daily use of solar panels in order to be self-sufficient. This technology involves reducing electricity and fossil fuel consumption throughout the collection process using electric trucks and its also used in the waste processing plants. Relating this innovation to the SDGs, it can be clearly identified the SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) and 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure).

In their external activity, and the one that impact society the most, Movilex clearly develops their multiple innovations with the SDGs 12 and 9 as goals.

Firstly, Movilex essentially deals with its inorganic waste that, after undergoing all the processes, results in completely clean materials like pure copper or pure iron. These materials are sold to metallurgy. This creates a circular economy, what previously was considered as waste, is now a new resource for others. Movilex affirms that a they currently have an 80% recycling coefficient, but they “aim for 99.9%. This is what drives our activity” as the Co-founder affirms.

In addition to this, many of their innovation projects are related to the waste that ended up in landfills. Movilex is now taking that waste and processing it to yield value and be turned into new metals. They substitute in their processes the use of oil by less contaminating sources with higher calorific capacity. They also use it in cement mills, ensuring that emissions from possible incineration are filtered out.

Inspiration

Movilex is a family business that previously developed their activity in the agricultural sector, but after the 2008 financial crisis they redesigned the company to what it is now. The company was founded by 3 brothers, and one of them affirms in the interview “we maintain protocols and have a very professional structure with a board of directors. We distribute the company’s departments”. In their beginning, they saw a business opportunity as they were presented in 2009 a business plan and by developing legal theory, they found out some interesting ratios and possible revenues.

However, being located in Extremadura, the least populated community in Spain, as we know, with a million people in the two provinces with the largest square kilometers, the low population correlates with a low generation of waste, but the numbers reflected posible future benefits.

After two years, they started expanding outside of Extremadura, and quickly, due to the innovative model within the sector, they managed to position themselves at the top. To this day, they are the group that processes the most Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) throughout Spain, with four operational plants and two more set to open soon.

In terms of activity, they started to have a sufficiently large volume to access major competitors like Orbital, Farga, and even companies from Hyundai Steel in Seoul, which is the metallurgical city of the group.

The co-founder believes that “the most beautiful aspect is that we earn money with a very profitable margin, and this continues to solidify. We are now on the board of the Spanish Recycling Association. All of this is satisfying and fulfilling. The best part is that over the years, a project that started from scratch, with a family that had never touched anything, has developed to the point where we are now at the top and are a national and global reference. We are present at all conferences, and we have a fairly consolidated business that generates good profits.”

Overall impact

The innovation of Movilex centers around pioneering recycling technologies and sustainable waste management processes, transforming WEEE into valuable, reusable resources.

In the short term, the impact has supported job creation, economic stability in Extremadura, and the transformation of waste into commodities like pure copper and iron. Also, their long term goal, that is reached by completing short term goals, is achieving 99.9% of recycling coefficient. Their daily activity and short term innovations have lead Movilex to acquire several acknowlegdements for their work, such as the ISO 9001 certification, the ISO 14001 certification, the WEEELABEX quality standard and Calculate- Reduce-Compensate Stamp from the Spanish Government.

Long-term, Movilex’s innovation has positioned it as a leader in the recycling industry with expanded operations reaching Brazil and Panama. Evidence of this impact is demonstrated by the company’s significant projects abroad. The Brazil project involved dismantling 200,000 tons of oil tankers that were left unfinished. They also dismantled plants like the former Reynos paper mill in Spain, or Alpetrocol plant located in Cartagena de Indias, and various boats and barges. In the southern areas of Brazil, Pelotas and Ecovín, they exported 36,000 tons of steel plate that was obtained from a ship cemetery.

The most significant evidence is the 490,000 tons of waste that the company has collected until today and the future predictions of what is yet to be transformed from waste to metal resources.

Lastly, Movilex’s presence on the board of the Spanish Recycling Association highlights its influence on national policies and sustainable practices, indicating industry recognition and lasting contributions to environmental innovation. 

Business benefit

The innovative recycling approach has spurred remarkable growth for Movilex, transforming it from a small, family-run venture to an international player in the recycling industry. By establishing efficient recycling facilities and adopting sustainable practices like using electric trucks and solar power, Movilex has minimized operational costs and environmental impact. This focus on sustainable operations has not only increased profit margins, but also attracted high-profile clients, including global metallurgy companies like Hyundai Steel. As a result, Movilex’s revenue has grown steadily, enabling further investment in technology and expansion, such as the upcoming recycling plants in northern Spain.

In terms of revenue, Movilex started with 320,000 euros as initial capital and their current revenues are near 32 million euros.

Tthe business embraced a circular economy model which unlocked new markets and secured profitable contracts for large-scale recycling projects, like managing non-ferrous waste for the Panama Canal. This innovation-driven model has also led to a diversified workforce and greater employee retention, as the company’s commitment to sustainable development and technological advancement offers staff opportunities for growth and specialization. The investment in state-of-the-art facilities, such as those for refrigerator recycling, has set Movilex apart fostering loyalty among clients and ensuring competitive market positioning. This innovative trajectory secures Movilex’s future, enabling it to expand into new territories and adapt to shifting global recycling demands.

Social and environmental benefit

In terms of society, this is a company that is constantly innovating to address recycling and resource reuse, seeking to consume the least amount of fossil fuels in logistics. The development of the plants is centered around maximum environmental efficiency. It’s a clear example of a company that has innovated and continues to innovate in hazardous waste treatment while minimizing resource consumption in terms of fossil fuels and logistics. The lessons learned from MobileX demonstrate how a company that started in one of the most unfavorable locations for waste management has become a leader in the peninsula due to its refined business model and the human team that has driven this development. It’s clear that the focus has always been on being number one.

In regards to the environmental benefits, there is a need for awareness of the management of household electrical appliances, especially hazardous ones. These appliances contain pollutants that can affect the ozone layer and lead to spillages of oils and gases. The company aims to raise awareness among clients, which includes over 5,000 collection points throughout Spain, such as retail stores and eco-parks, emphasizing at all times that such waste must be handled correctly.

Interview

JOSÉ JUAN GARCÍA-TORREMOCHA CHECA, Co-Founder