Glass recycling company Recresco, has announced plans to develop a glass recycling plant in Northfleet, Kent, after being granted a £5.5 million support package by HSBC.

If granted planning permission, the plant will become the company’s first in the South East and could potentially come on stream by July 2013, creating 40 new jobs and increasing turnover to £28 million from £18 million.

Once operational, the plant will reportedly have the capacity to process, clean and sort 40 tonnes of glass per hour.

The firm has said that following the removal of contaminants, such as ceramics and paper, 90 per cent of the glass processed will be made into ‘furnace ready cullet’.

According to Recresco, green and brown glass will remain largely in the UK, with clear glass being shipped out to glass producers on the continent.

It is expected that the new development will increase export sales of its glass cullet, which currently account for around 25 per cent of total sales, with the figure forecast to rise to 50 per cent.

The plant will join the company’s other UK operations, based in Ellesmere Port, Southampton, Cwmbran and its head office of Nottingham.

South East is a ‘key market’

Director of Recresco, Tim Gent, said: “This processing plant will be best in class, with 90 per cent of what we put into the process ending up as furnace ready cullet that we can distribute to manufacturers.

“The South East is also a key market that we have been studying for a few years but now we feel is the right time to make the move. I’m delighted to have the backing of HSBC for this project; they have demonstrated a real and thorough understanding of our company.”

Speaking of the decision to invest in the project, HSBC South Devon and Cornwall Area Commercial Director, Stephen Hancock, praised Recresco for its ‘forward-thinking’, adding that though “trends in recycling change… Recresco remains one step ahead”.