The Scottish Institute for Remanufacturing Website

Remanufacturing in Scotland

Tackling climate change is a big deal. Part of this involves rethinking mass production. Current manufacturing methods aren’t sustainable, and with growing focus on protecting the environment and government-mandated targets, remanufacturing is set to become an integral part of production. Returning used items to a new condition contributes directly to the circular economy and has an estimated EU market value of €90 billion by 2030.

The Scottish Institute for Remanufacturing (SIR), based in Glasgow, is an innovative hub that connects experts in academia and industry to devise sustainable manufacturing processes. SIR’s support and knowledge has encouraged successful remanufacturing processes across Scotland, the UK and the world.  

After five years of government funding, SIR wanted to move to a new operating model to secure other revenue streams and stand out as a reliable specialist in their field. As part of this, they wanted a re-energised, polished website with clear navigation and targeted content for their different audiences.

Overhauling the website

We were tasked with not just redeveloping the website but also evolving its look and feel based only on a creative brief and the existing logo, as SIR were redefining their purpose, vision and key messaging. Given a fair bit of free reign, we started by researching the sector and sourcing potential imagery that fit with the sharp, modern look we had in mind.

The website needed to be able to grow as SIR continued to develop their content and resources. Based on this, and with limited photography available, we created a default stylistic device to be used when imagery was hard to come by. Along with newly developed icons which complemented the existing logo, we redrew graphs, diagrams and illustrations for clarity and a coherent design feel.

To direct different audiences to relevant content, we designed a homepage with a crystal-clear search feature. The latest news, funding opportunities, member benefits and a remanufacturing explainer were front and centre so visitors could orientate themselves quickly. Another top priority for SIR was accessibility. This was factored into to everything we designed and tested before deciding on which creative approaches to take.

We worked closely with the SIR team to meet all of their backend and technical requirements. After the site was built, it was packaged and handed to the University of Strathclyde’s IT department for upload. We turned the project around quickly with technical support in place to ensure a smooth transition for several months after the launch.

The finished result is a refined and cutting-edge website with filtered content and a high accessibility rating. See it here.