A unique Qaddy deposit refund system

At NKT, we are known for being pioneers in the development and manufacture of cables and complete cable solutions of the highest quality with focus on research and innovation - not only in our production, technological development, sales and distribution of cables, but also in the quality, environmental and safety rules we work and adhere to on a daily basis.

Just because we were the very first in Denmark to recycle cable scrap back in 1960, today our return system for worn and scrap cables is far from the only part of our targeted recycling work. Our deposit refund system for the cable drum, Qaddy, is a unique example. 

Qaddy has been an integral part of NKT´s recycling strategy and has had a deposit/refund system from day one to ensure that all drums can be reused or recycled.

In practice, this means that our customers pay a deposit when purchasing Qaddy, which they then get back when they return it to us. We then clean and repair it and put it back in our product range, unless it has been damaged beyond use. Around 95% of all Qaddy material is recycled.

All products are inspected – from base to handle and side to top cover – and from there we identify which parts can be repaired and which we might have to get rid of. From here, all cleaning is done by using robotic technology.

The recycling process was optimized when we went from manual cleaning to an robotic automated washing system.  The used Qaddy´s are collected and returned to the robotic laundromat at our site in Asnæs, Denmark.

Every week the site in Asnæs receives trucks with used Qaddys from wholesalers in Europe and new ones are also purchased so that they are consistently in stock. Each Qaddy has its own unique number and is also equipped with a barcode so it can always be traced. We then clean and repair the returned drums and rewind them with new cables ready to be used again. 

Approximately 40,000 Qaddys are currently in the loop – either in stock or in the laundry – or at the customers who have them for periods ranging from one week to one year. 

In 2011, NKT introduced a completely new and unique cable drum concept for low voltage cables; the Qaddy drum trolley. NKT won the Product Award from Danish Engineering Weekly and as part of the reasoning for awarding Qaddy, the judges highlighted that the solution was intuitive, simple, easy, reliable, ergonomic and quality oriented. The design work lifted the product to much more than just a prac-tical device.

Qaddy relieved the problem of transporting and lifting heavy cables around con-struction sites and after only a few years, Qaddy became very popular among Danish electricians and installers. Consultants also supported these efforts by consid-ering sustainability in project descriptions when specifying cables for low voltage installations. Through the years Qaddy has also been introduced in Sweden, Norway, Poland, Finland and Czechia.