When siblings Julie Wood and Mark Turnbull started Greenwell Equipment over 27 years ago, they had a vision to keep used office furniture out of landfills by salvaging and reselling it. Nearly three decades later, the Tullos-based company is still going strong in its mission to promote recycling and sustainability in the office furniture industry.
Greenwell got its start when Julie and Mark saw the large amounts of quality used furniture being discarded by businesses doing office renovations. They recognised an opportunity to rescue these items and give them a second life rather than sending them to the dump.
"Back in the 90s, reuse and recycling weren't as much on people's radar," said Julie. "We wanted to provide an alternative to simply tossing furniture and equip businesses with affordable options that didn't require new materials and manufacturing."
Many businesses are just starting to embrace the responsibility of preserving used office furniture to meet their environmental commitments, but Greenwell Equipment has been championing this cause at its core from the beginning.
The company now has multiple warehouses filled with a wide selection of restored desks, chairs, cubicles, filing cabinets, and other office essentials. Businesses can avoid unnecessary waste and cost by furnishing their spaces with Greenwell's extensive inventory of pre-owned furniture in near-new condition.
Julie Wood and Mark Turnbull of Greenwell Equipment
But for Julie and Mark, Greenwell is about more than just selling used office furniture. It's about demonstrating that a company can be both sustainable and successful.
"We've shown that you can build an environmentally friendly business model that also makes good business sense," said Mark. "Our ability to rescue quality items from the scrap heap and preserve resources benefits the environment and provides cost savings to our customers."
Beyond its retail operations, Greenwell works directly with businesses to remove and repurpose furniture during office renovations. The company handles the entire process of furniture removal, restoration, and resale, ensuring unwanted items are recycled rather than disposed of.
As UK businesses continue to prioritise sustainability, Greenwell stands out as a leader in recycling. The company estimates it has kept over 500,000 items out of landfills throughout its history.
"We're proud to have helped so many businesses furnish their offices affordably while diverting usable furniture from landfills," said Julie. "Everything we do is guided by our commitment to smart reuse and recycling."
Nearly three decades since its founding, Greenwell continues to be a model of how environmental responsibility and business success can go hand-in-hand. Julie and Mark’s vision has become an enduring legacy of sustainability.