‘SAVE OUR SURFACES’ – BUILDING A BIG AUDIENCE AFTER ECOBUILD LAUNCH

Hundreds of the UK’s leading names from across the FM, Estates Management, construction, refurbishment, housing and Local Authority sectors have signed up to the Save Our Surfaces Campaign after it was officially launched at Ecobuild in London.

The campaign – www.saveoursurfaces.co.uk – aims to raise awareness of the benefits – both environmental and financial of taking a Repair Not Replace approach to damage on sites – from new build to Facilities Maintenance to refurbishment projects.

Launched by the UK’s nationwide surface repair specialist – Plastic Surgeon – hundreds of firms signed up to the launch of the campaign which will provide a range of support including information and advice on how to prevent damage happening, regular e-newsletters, case studies on best practice, a free downloadable i-app called Snag Reporter to help compile Repair Snagging Lists and a specially created Repair Reporter enabling businesses to record information on their own repairs and see how these are contributing to a nationwide landfill saving.

Members of Plastic Surgeon’s UK wide team of Finishers were on the stand at Ecobuild providing live demonstrations showing how damaged surfaces are repaired, providing a very visual understanding of the benefits that taking a repair approach first can have.

Plastic Surgeon MD Rob Mouser said that for many visiting the stand they could instantly see the benefits that could be achieved in terms of repairing surfaces such as brick and stone, wood, veneers, laminates, uPVC, plastics, enamel baths and glass rather than ripping them out and replacing them.

“We were absolutely delighted with the response we had at the launch of the Save Our Surfaces campaign and to have hundreds of companies sign up was fantastic.

“For many visitors to our stand it was the first time they had seen just what could be achieved in terms of the range of surface repairs that could be carried out and we had everyone from leading UK construction firms, maintenance companies in charge of pub and restaurant chains and local authorities and social housing groups with responsibility for the upkeep, maintenance, repair and refurbishment of many thousands of properties not only sign up to the campaign but really turning on to the benefits that Repair not Replace can offer them,” said Rob.

“The objective of the Save Our Surfaces campaign is to help reduce the amount of unnecessary waste that is created – by highlighting just what can be repaired – when the first instinct has traditionally been to replace damaged surfaces, and certainly from the reactions we were getting, one of the key elements is raising awareness, as many people are simply unaware what can be achieved.

“Taking the Repair Not Replace approach is common sense really – why would you want to rip something out that doesn’t need to be when often it is one small area that has been damaged that can be fully repaired? What was very pleasing to see and hear was that for many people, this was their first exposure to surface repair and they could instantly see the benefits to their business or organization,” he added.

“Every year thousands of businesses – from construction firms, house builders, Facilities Managers and Local Authorities and Housing Associations – will rip out and replace items such as kitchen worktops, doors, cupboards, shower trays, baths and sinks, metal panels and brickwork as they have been scratched, chipped, punctured or had sections in some way damaged – that simply do not need to be, and the Save Our Surfaces campaign aims to provide the platform and support to businesses to take this approach,” he concluded.