Earlier this month (August), Alupro announced the appointment of Stephen Devine as membership & business development manager. We sat down with Stephen a few weeks into his new role to understand his immediate priorities and hear his future vision for the UK’s aluminium packaging value chain.

Q – Congratulations on the new role, Stephen. Can you explain a little more about what you’ll be doing as the latest member of the Alupro team?

A – As Alupro’s new membership & business development manager, my primary role is to work closely with our existing members and sponsors, building strong working relationships and delivering upon our goal of fulfilling the industry’s obligation to meet (and exceed) recycling targets for aluminium packaging. However, with the ambition of growing our membership base, I’m also responsible for reaching out to the wider aluminium value chain and bringing new members on board.

Ultimately, our goal is to champion aluminium and maximise the circular packaging economy. As such, we’re committed to collaborating with and representing as many aluminium businesses as we can.

Q – What was your role prior to joining Alupro?

A – Having taken on a position within the Wastecare collection sales team in 2022, I quickly moved into the producer compliance team, where I later became commercial manager across the packaging, WEEE and battery compliance schemes. Here, I worked with numerous businesses across the UK to help them meet their regulatory obligations, while subsequently building an encyclopedia knowledge of EPR.

While I’ve been working in packaging, recycling and waste management for a number of years now, in a previous life I was a secondary school maths teacher. This ultimately wasn’t the right career choice for me, but the skillset I developed proves useful to this day when it comes to educating businesses about policy and recycling matters.

Q – Why did you make the jump to Alupro?

A – Simply put, Alupro has a national reputation for leading the aluminium circularity conversation. The UK is in a challenging, but exciting, regulatory period, so I thought now would be the perfect time to join a business that is helping to really shape the future.

The role allows me to combine my commercial experience and policy knowledge with my passion for the circular economy. It’s a really exciting role to be taking at a pivotal time for the industry.

Q – What are your immediate priorities?

A – My initial focus will be on member outreach. Connecting with our membership base, understanding their needs and the challenges they face. This is really important, as it helps us to further refine our activities and priorities to deliver maximum impact.

Elsewhere, I’ll be working on developing a dedicated members area on the Alupro website to provide resources and further opportunities for engagement. Finally, I’ll be building a new strategy to welcome new members and sponsors. All in all, a busy few months ahead!

Q – What do you hope to achieve in the long-term?

A – I’m aiming to build Alupro’s network and strengthen our relationships. By doing so, the ambition is to increase the adoption of aluminium packaging and maximise its recycling rate – in essence, driving progress towards a more circular packaging economy.

While challenges remain, the UK can be a shining example of best practice when it comes to the production, use and recycling of packaging. Aluminium is a critical material to achieve this and I’m looking forward to playing a role in further accelerating its profile. 

Q – With significant legislative change ahead, how can being a member of Alupro help aluminium packaging businesses?

A – Navigating the complexities of legislation can often be challenging, especially for smaller firms who may not have dedicated policy resources. Being a member of Alupro gives businesses access to expert guidance and support from our talented team, as well as a collaborative network of peers and in-depth industry intelligence.  

Together, Alupro is the voice of the industry, supporting the aluminium packaging value chain by influencing policy decisions and providing clarity for member organisations.

Echoing Stephen’s comments, the coming years will absolutely be an exciting yet challenging time for the UK packaging sector. We wish Stephen all the best in his new role and look forward to seeing the outcomes of his work in due course.

ENDS