The owner of a Norfolk bin company said he’s ready to “take on the big boys”, as businesses see their waste collection costs soar.
Stefan Gilding, from Norwich, launched his company Business Waste Solutions in January after hearing complaints from friends in the hospitality industry about the cost of waste management services.
The main problem, he learned, was that waste management companies were adding “hidden fees” when bin weight reached a certain level, meaning businesses were struggling to accurately budget for the service.
He said: “The big waste management companies implement a complex contract structure and very little transparency for customers when it comes to pricing.
“Because two big national companies monopolise the market, they’ve been able to get away with charging whatever they want.
“But we want to disrupt that and take on the big boys - 90pc of the time we’re cheaper than the big companies.”
Mr Gilding said the key difference between his model and the one used by companies like Veolia and Biffa is that the Norfolk company charges an upfront subscription fee, rather than breaking services down into separate categories.
He said that means customers pay the same, no matter how much waste they produce, and aren’t charged extra for bin rental.
And with hundreds of new customers signed up since the start of the year, the Norwich business owner said expansion was on the horizon.
He said: “A lot of businesses have come to us through referrals, which is a sign we’re doing something right. It helps that everyone in hospitality knows each other.
“We’ve had whole streets sign up once they’ve heard what we’ve managed to do for their neighbours.
“Next up, we’re looking to take on about five more staff members to help us expand into Great Yarmouth and Gorleston, and beyond.”
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