From Trash to Bash: Strategic Sports’ Program to Turn Reclaimed Materials into Employee Benefits
At Strategic Sports, manufacturing waste is something we think about carefully. In a global production environment, offcuts and excess materials are inevitable, even in highly optimized processes. What matters is what you do with them.
Strategic has created a program where regrind core manufacturing materials, including ABS, PVC, and PC, are collected and sold to other companies for reuse. The materials retain real value, and the revenue generated could easily be absorbed into annual gross profit. But since People First is one of our core values, we approach things differently. We ask ourselves: how can that value benefit the entire organization?
This thinking led to the creation of the Trash to Bash program.
“For us, People First means looking beyond the balance sheet,” said Norman Cheng, Managing Director of Strategic Sports. “If we can create value from something that would otherwise be discarded, that’s of course the right thing to do, and it’s an opportunity to convert that value into something our teams can appreciate.”
During the 2025 calendar year, the sale of regrind materials generated 447,505 RMB, approximately $64,500 USD. Those funds were reinvested directly into employee-focused initiatives. These included enhanced cafeteria services, free employee health checks, dietary supplements, and for sure, parties and celebrations.
From Christmas to Valentine’s Day, Halloween to Chinese New Year, along with basketball tournaments and children’s art contests, these moments of coming together are a meaningful part of life at Strategic Sports. They reinforce connection across teams and departments and help build a culture that values people as much as performance.
“Strong companies are built by people who feel supported and connected,” Cheng added. “Trash to Bash is a small example of how operational decisions can strengthen culture when you make it your priority.”
Trash to Bash reflects how Strategic approaches sustainability and culture in parallel. It’s a practical manufacturing program that reduces waste and supports circular material use, while also reinforcing the belief that shared success should be shared benefits. In the end, it’s not just about materials being reused, but about value being returned to the people who make Strategic Sports great.