Recycling and resource recovery business Enva has doubled its capacity through investment in its newly-acquired facility.
The Enva Group acquired Lincolnshire-based plastic and e-waste recycler Blue Sky Plastic Recycling (BSP) in 2018, including its recycling facility in Bourne. Following a £1.8-million investment in this facility, including a new extruder unit, the company has doubled its plastics recycling output capacity.
Enva is one of the UK’s largest producers of extruded plastic compounds (a mix of polymers and additives), turning the post-consumer plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) into plastic pellets that can be used to make new products.
The company says it will now be able to produce more than 2,000 tonnes of extruded plastic compound every month.
Enva’s Plastics General Manager, Steve Bell, said: “This investment will make us the UK’s largest supplier of extruded compounds from WEEE and enable our customers to increase the environmental and commercial benefits associated with the use of recycled product. It will also give us greater capability to custom match the colour or physical properties of compounds to our customers’ specific requirements.”
Previously a part of DCC Environment, Enva was sold in June 2017 by Irish investment company DCC Plc. Private equity firm Exponent purchased DCC Environment and its component companies – William Tracey, Wastecycle, Oakwood Fuels in the UK and Enva in Ireland – which are now all grouped under the umbrella of Enva.
The group’s spate of acquisitions looks set to continue, with Hadfield Wood Recyclers the latest company to be purchased by Enva at the end of 2018. Hadfield, described by Enva’s Executive Chairman Niall Wall as “the latest in a series of important acquisitions”, is one of the largest wood recycling companies in the UK, processing 300,000 tonnes of waste wood annually at its three sites in Tilbury, Manchester and Middlesbrough.
Founder Geoff Hadfield commented: “Enva is a well-respected company with a clear purpose. There are obvious synergies between our respective businesses that will allow us to take the processing of waste wood to the next level. The whole team are delighted to be joining Enva and are looking forward to the future.”
Get our weekly digest
resource.co article ai
How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.