Middlesbrough recycling firm reaps benefits of £750,000 investment

A Middlesbrough recycling specialist is raking in dividends following a £750,000 investment in a new glass beneficiation plant.

Ward Recycling Ltd, are now adding two new clients every week and the company expects to produce 25,000 tonnes in 2013, adding a further £2m in sales and creating ten new jobs.

The recycling firm now has the capability to use a special sterilisation and implosion process to turn sub 12mm mixed glass into a non-sharp product.

The end product can then be used in water filtration, shot blast and decorative aggregates.

The impressive growth predictions follows support from the Manufacturing Advisory Service and Teesside University in securing the quality accreditation for processed glass used in secondary end markets, BSI PAS 102.

Paul Stonehouse, Sales and Marketing Manager said: “It’s been a hectic six months, but we are now finally in a position to take advantage of the investment and increase capacity,”.

“Securing BSI PAS 102 opens up a whole host of new markets for us and, basically, is a public endorsement that our product is safe to re-use and of an excellent quality.”

“Getting this accreditation is a tough ask and we knew we needed some external support in achieving it.

“We discussed this with Teesside University who signposted us to MAS, who provided us with strategic advice and a £3000 grant towards consultancy services.

“They advised us to concentrate on moisture content, particle shape and distribution and chemical contamination, which we duly did.

“We then employed the services of accredited laboratories to undertake testing before we were assessed.”

Paul is one part of a three-strong management team that includes Simon Barker and Gareth Godwin.

Mr Godwin said: “One of our biggest customers is Palm Recycling and we operate numerous recycling schemes around the UK on their behalf.

“This involves us running operations located in Coventry, Ellesmere Port, Garforth and Swadlincote…all in addition to our 12 acre site in the heart of Teesside.”

Following the accreditation, the firm’s products are currently being assessed by the DWI (Drinking Water Inspectorate) under and, if successful, could see the glass plant running 24 hours a day, 5 days a week within 18 months.

This will form a significant diversification from the firm’s core offer, which includes bring bank collection services, dry recycling sorting and various styles of kerbside collections.

Garry Evans, Sustainable Technology Manager at Teesside University, added his support:“We identified at an early stage that waste legislation would prevent the company from claiming product status on the reprocessed material unless it was produced to a particular standard…in this case BSI PAS 102.

“Our approach was to help Ward adjust processes, develop acceptance criteria for incoming materials and explore separation of resulting fractions.

“The products were tested and successfully passed.”

Ward Recycling, which also holds ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environment) and OHSAS 18001 (Health and Safety), is one of only a few organisations of its size to hold BSI PAS 102 and further assistance has allowed it to display it in a sales document that is being used to drive new business.

Jim Barr, MAS Advisor, said: “When you are investing sizeable sums of money into a project, there can sometimes be a temptation to rush in and make quick decisions so you start to see the funding pay off.

“This is where we come in and act as a sounding board for a manufacturer and, working with the management team, draw up a strategy or solution to help it achieve its aims.”

“In Ward Recycling’s case it was about the best route to market and this involved securing BSI PAS 102.

“We understood the basics of what was required, but also understood that this required specialists and we found £3000 of funding towards supporting experts from Teesside University.

“I was also able to put the business in contact with a local concrete manufacturer, who took the waste material from their process and used it in their own products, thus saving on time and landfill costs.”