From scrap to sustainability: repositioning a recycling business
The business was preparing to rebrand from Alchemy Metals to Waste Mission. The new name reflected a broader service offer and a shift in how the company wanted to be understood in the market.
For decades, the company had been known primarily for scrap metal recycling. Yet its services had expanded far beyond that heritage. The leadership team wanted the new brand to signal a different position. Waste Mission would stand as a partner helping organisations manage waste responsibly and operate more sustainably.
The transition required careful communication. Existing customers needed reassurance that the expertise and service they trusted remained unchanged. At the same time, the company wanted to reach new sectors where sustainability and responsible waste management were rising priorities.
Waste Mission asked We Do Stories to shape the communications around this repositioning. The goal was to introduce the new brand, strengthen visibility in relevant industries and establish Waste Mission as a credible voice in sustainable waste management.
We developed a communications strategy designed to reshape how the business was perceived. The work focused on moving the conversation away from scrap metal recycling and towards sustainable waste management expertise.
The strategy centred on credible, sector-relevant stories that demonstrated the company’s broader capabilities. These narratives highlighted the complexity of modern waste management and the practical role Waste Mission plays in helping organisations handle waste responsibly.
Industry media played a central role in shaping this perception. We targeted publications that decision-makers in the manufacturing, engineering, and sustainability sectors read. Coverage in these outlets placed the new Waste Mission brand in front of the audiences most likely to require specialist waste management support.
Search visibility formed the second pillar of the strategy. By analysing how organisations sought answers to waste management challenges online, we identified key questions and industry terms that potential customers were already searching for. We then developed website content designed to answer those questions and position Waste Mission as a knowledgeable and reliable partner.
A major campaign moment centred on the launch of Waste Mission’s customer portal. The platform allows businesses to track waste management data through a central dashboard.
The portal launched at the PPMA Total Show, the UK’s largest processing and packaging machinery exhibition. We led a targeted media campaign around the launch, securing coverage across trade titles and producing digital assets that demonstrated the platform’s benefits.
We also provided a strategic update and redesign to their website to ensure that it was optimised for conversions.
Together, these activities introduced the new brand while reinforcing the company’s position as a modern, sustainable waste management provider.
The campaign successfully introduced the Waste Mission brand while strengthening the company’s authority across media, search and digital channels.
Industry media coverage regularly placed the company in front of decision-makers across the manufacturing, waste management, and sustainability sectors. The campaign secured 164 placements and generated 124 backlinks from relevant publications.
Search visibility improved significantly. The partnership secured page one Google rankings for 750 industry keywords, increasing the company’s presence among organisations researching waste management partners.
Digital engagement grew strongly as well. Targeted social activity increased engagement by 1,851% while impressions rose by 907%.
Together, these results helped reposition the business from a scrap metal heritage to a recognised sustainable waste management partner.
