Smurfit Kappa, one of the largest recyclers of paper and cardboard in the country, has completed the purchase of a 12,000 square metre site on Whitebirk Industrial Estate in Blackburn.
In the past three and a half years the recycling operation in Blackburn has seen a 25 per cent increase in the volume of material it handles and this is predicted to increase significantly in the wake of the purchase. Smurfit Kappa had previously been leasing the site (which forms part of its national recycling depot network) from H Rigg Properties.
The depot, which currently employs 22 staff, has also benefitted from an ongoing programme of investment including the installation of an energy-efficient baling machine and modernisation of its fleet of 10 vehicles and trailers.
Part of the global Smurfit Kappa Group, the Blackburn-based recycling operation sources recovered fibre (from waste cardboard and paper) for the Group’s two UK paper mills. The material is then cleaned, reprocessed and made back into paper and cardboard, demonstrating a truly closed loop approach.
Ian Ledson, General Manager of Smurfit Kappa Recycling in Blackburn, said: “We have been helping businesses in the North West to recycle their cardboard and paper in an environmentally-friendly way for over 25 years. We are delighted to have completed the purchase of the site where our depot is based and expect to handle over 70,000 tonnes of the region’s paper and cardboard there this year.
“As a business, we are committed to offering sustainable and reliable recycling solutions and look forward to being a key player in the circular economy of the North West long into the future.”
If you are looking for a recycling solution, Smurfit Kappa Recycling can offer a free site survey to assess what containers and collection methods will work best for your business. As well as cardboard and paper (including magazines, office paper and circulars), the company can recycle polythene and quality grades of hard plastics. Many businesses with significant volumes of material to recycle generate income in this way.
