Recycling Technology Innovation as a Source of Competitive Advantage: The Sustainable and Circular Business Model of a Bicentennial Company

José-Antonio Corral-Marfil, Núria Arimany-Serrat, Emma L. Hitchen and Carme Viladecans-Riera
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José-Antonio Corral-Marfil: Department of Economics and Business, University of Vic—Central University of Catalonia, Sagrada Família 7, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain
Núria Arimany-Serrat: Department of Economics and Business, University of Vic—Central University of Catalonia, Sagrada Família 7, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain
Emma L. Hitchen: Department of Communication, University of Vic—Central University of Catalonia, Sagrada Família 7, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain
Carme Viladecans-Riera: Department of Economics and Business, University of Vic—Central University of Catalonia, Sagrada Família 7, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 14, 1-37

Abstract: La Farga Yourcoppersolutions is a bicentennial Catalan company that manufactures semi-finished copper products. As copper is a 100% recyclable material, much of the sector’s production comes from secondary copper, scrap, not from mined copper. In the case of La Farga, not only a good part of its output comes from recycled copper, but it is also a world leader in copper-recycling technology. The objective of the paper is to describe La Farga’s business model from the point of view of sustainability and the circular economy. What have been the causes and effects of recycling on the business model? Regarding the methodology, the work follows the research strategy of the case study. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from a variety of primary and secondary sources. Economic, social and environmental sustainability of the firm was assessed through financial and non-financial indicators; value-added generation and distribution were calculated from accounting data; and the circular business model was analysed via a thematic analysis: its components, innovation, enablers and barriers. Results show that the presence of barriers forces the implementation of circularity to be gradual and to combine linear and circular models to maintain competitiveness.

Keywords: ESG performance; circular economy; circular business model innovation; copper industry; recycling technology; waste upcycling; copper scrap (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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