Sadlers History - a Timeline

Established in the 1950s Harry Sadler started the business trading in ex-army steel and wooden ammunition boxes which came from army ordinance depots throughout the country.

Frank Sadler joined his father Harry and evolved the business to include the refurbishment and re-sale of wooden packing crates and pallets which were generated by the thriving motor industry in and around the Midlands.

Early in the 1970s Frank was joined by his sons Mike and Rob at a time when the principle of segregating used boxes from cardboard waste was being established. We quickly built a healthy demand from our local customers and the business expanded rapidly as we originated cardboard box reuse schemes across the country. We are proud to have been one of the pioneers of the principles of reclaiming used boxes from cardboard waste for the purpose of reuse.

The business started to outgrow our former premises in Bordesley Green and the family took the decision to acquire and develop a derelict site in Small Heath in order to expand the storage capacity. Frank and wife Dorothy along with their sons worked hard to create a suitable warehouse and office. Dorothy was also a proud early adopter of technology to further progress once settled in the new surroundings.

Larger premises meant that we were able to increase our fleet of vehicles too, enabling more efficient collections from suppliers and deliveries to customers. Thanks to the new buildings we had space to unload and sort the material in a dry environment - very useful when dealing with cardboard!

Mike and Rob secured contracts with major international brands and started taking cardboard box reuse more mainstream. They began to expand the business much wider than the local area, now covering the UK and Ireland with interest from overseas. Frank and Dorothy retired knowing the business was in safe hands.

In 2010 we launched our online business which enabled us to sell to customers both in the UK and in Europe. We process millions of used boxes from our warehouse in the heart of the country. Substantial reuse schemes were put in place around this time with many international manufacturers of food, drink and household goods. The next generation of Sadlers joined the company to carry on the family tradition and ensure continuity.

Sadlers made international news during the COVID-19 pandemic when we became uniquely prepared to supply the country with boxes during a time in which manufacturing of new boxes shut down. Our regular supplies of reasonably-priced used and surplus boxes provided a solution to the packaging supply chain issues around the world. We were visited by a Reuters journalist and film crew who reported on the importance of circularity as a way to temper shocks to supply chains, highlighting our efforts. Our story about this unprecedented event and our response resulted in a win for best Circular Economy business at the Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management the following year.

2022 / 2023 saw the retirement of Mike and Rob from the day-to-day running of the business. Their successors Jordan, Gavin and Lauren (pictured) picked up the baton and ran with it, on firm foundations built by the previous three generations. As cardboard box reuse has become an obvious alternative to traditional recycling, due to its lower environmental impact and higher financial rewards, the business continues to go from strength to strength.

The last few years have shown significant growth in our fleet (over 30 vehicles and trailers) as well as increases in staff numbers and investment in technology. We launched a new website in 2024 to better provide a quick, pain-free online experience across all devices - buying boxes online is now easier than ever! With over 70 years of trading under our belt (and decades more of combined knowledge and experience), we're the go-to company when it comes to implementing cardboard box reuse schemes at scale.