Making money, meeting needs out of recycled waste
The Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) was recently recognised at the annual CIPS supply management awards for embarking on a project to make its print waste useful to a lot of people. Jessica Acheampong (GB) had a chat with the Procurement Manager of the GCGL, Mr Enoch Dugbartey (ED), who first explained what the project was about
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ED: The project itself was on how we could make money out of our production waste. The waste from our production comprising scrapped news print, empty ink drums and used CTP plates are sold to players in the downstream who also use it as their inputs.
This project also helped to cut down cost, because you have to negotiate hard on the upper supply side so that you get the product coming in cheaper, and then you can pass it on cheaply to the end user to enable them to create jobs.
GB: Who are some of the players who benefit from this project?
ED: We sell the plates to the blacksmiths and cooking pot makers. The market women also use our scrapped news prints to wrap their foods including ‘bofrot’ and ‘waakye’. After you take off the main paper, there is a coil in there, which the dressmakers use. The Kente weavers also use that to roll their materials on. Some artisans also use it for masking purposes prior to spraying vehicles.
GB: What exactly did Graphic win this time?
ED: The GCGL was declared the overall winner for embarking on a project to stimulate the recycling of paper and print. The initiative also helped the company to win “best contribution to the reputation of the procurement and supply profession”.
GB: This is the second time Graphic is winning the CIPS award. What does this mean for the company?
ED: Most people don’t know what Graphic is, so winning this award gives us a brand referral advantage. This increases the company’s net promoter score. In the international world, Graphic is well known now, because this is a pan-African award for the African continent and the news is shared across the globe. Now, people know GCGL is the largest print media in Ghana, so if anyone is coming to do a print business here, Graphic will be the first referral.
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GB: What happens to the project now that the awards are over?
ED: It is something we are going to continue even though the awards are over. Some people buy it and convert it into jotters and this gives evidence that people are using our waste materials in the correct sense. Nothing goes free here, mostly some staff also buy the drums for water keeping. However, we have two types of the drums; we have one for the water keeping, which is the rubber type. Then we have the metal type which is converted into trunks for students.
GB: Are we looking forward to winning more awards?
ED: This is my project; it is not the business which asked me to do it, but in my profession, we are not recognised as individuals. They look at the situation and what procurement did out of it. In doing that, if you excel they will award you but not in your name, but in the name of the company. Sometimes, the motivation is low but because I am trained as a professional, I still go ahead because my work will pay off one day. We hope to win more awards.
This will be the 6th CIPS award I have won; four with Vodafone Ghana and two with GCGL. For this particular project, I spent four days at Agbogbloshie with a team looking at how people were making use of our production waste. The documentary was filmed by Mohammed Ali of online desk, edited by Mr Isaac Yeboah (Online Editor), and Mr Francis Crabbe was driving us.
Mr Enoch Dugbartey, Procurement Manager, GCGL, displaying the award
GB: Who is the award-winning Mr Dugbartey?
ED: I started school at Accra Academy and completed at Accra High Senior High School. Thereafter, I worked with an accounting firm, and continued to the then Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) now the University of Professional Studies (UPSA) to do a Diploma in Business Studies (DBS)- Accounting option. I worked for a year and proceeded to the Accra Polytechnic. Going into my third year at Accra Poly, I was employed fully at the then Ghana telecom now Vodafone Ghana. I began writing my CIPS papers and also enrolled at Central University College.
GB: What are the principles you hold dear and your biggest source of motivation?
ED: My biggest motivation is God, and nothing else. Seeing how God wants me to be gives me motivation. I think something can be done about any situation and that keeps me going but my biggest source of motivation is God. Anywhere I find myself, I think I can do better, at least I can change something and people will remember me for that.
My first principle is never be lazy, prepare for opportunities and take it. Never be too comfortable with a situation.