UK-based environmental reporting specialist Lorax Compliance has acquired Environmental Packaging International (EPI), a US consultancy that specialises in environmental compliance, product stewardship and sustainability goals reporting. The two companies will now work together to provide a wider global service offering, combining Lorax’s strengths in compliance data and technology with EPI’s expertise in custom research, metrics tracking and sustainable design consultancy.
“Since Lorax was founded five years ago, the company has gone from strength-to-strength,” said Lorax co-founder and COO Michelle Carvell. “Our acquisition of EPI provides the perfect opportunity to combine our expertise and capabilities with a company that shares our principles and moves us forward together to provide diverse EPR support services to businesses around the world.”
“The two businesses complement each other well,” continued David Markham, co-founder and CTO of Lorax Compliance. “EPI is strongly aligned to our ideals of providing an excellent and value-driven client service. It also shares our desire to leverage data and technology to streamline EPR and sustainability reporting. This was one of the main reasons behind our decision to work together.”
Although EPI and Lorax Compliance will continue to operate under their own brand names, founders Michelle and David will lead both the UK and US teams to roll out and integrate all services across both businesses.
“Lorax Compliance’s services will be expanded and augmented as a result of this acquisition,” explained Michelle. “In addition to EPR reporting software, fee optimisation, obligation assessments, compliance audits and environmental metrics tracking, we can now also offer wider custom research and waste legislation tracking capabilities, support for meeting voluntary standards, and sustainable packaging design consultancy. It certainly is an exciting new phase for the business.”
Founded by Victor Bell in 1998, EPI is based in Jamestown, Rhode Island, and uses its expertise in packaging and product stewardship to provide high-quality consulting services that advance sustainability. Victor is a Certified Packaging Professional with more than 25 years of experience in environmental issues associated with packaging and products. He will now remain in post as US managing director until the end of 2021 to ensure his expertise is imparted across the whole company.
“Victor and his team bring vast experience in packaging analysis, design and consultancy to our complete service offering,” said Michelle. “With environmental obligations becoming ever costlier and more complex, it’s important that we help customers remain compliant in both their reporting and their design, regardless of the country in which they operate. Our greater global presence through EPI will be fundamental to achieving this.
“I’m incredibly proud of both teams for their hard work and support in making this acquisition possible, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Lorax and EPI can achieve as a global business.”
