International Plastic Recycling Specialist Eyes Further UK Expansion : Vanden Opens 30 TPD Plastic Recycling Facility in Cambridgeshire, UK

Vanden Recycling whittlesey plastics cambridgeshite waste
© Vanden Recycling

Plastic recyclinng firm, Vanden Recycling, has opened a new plastic processing facility in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire a part of its UK expansion plans.

The new recycling facility gives the firm a centrally located processing capability in the UK with quick access from Peterborough and the A1.

The company said that it already operates UK-wide collections and recycling of scrap plastics, primarily from manufacturing, distribution and retail industries.

The new facility has been equipped with shredding, granulation and baling equipment and has a front-end material inspection and preparation area. Combined, the company said that these will ensure that the plastics collected are treated to meet the highest standards required by manufacturers worldwide.

The site incorporates three soundproofed granulation lines which have a combined throughput of up to 30 tonnes of plastic per day when operating on a single shift.

The plant also has the flexibility to handle multiple plastic streams such as ABS, HDPE, LDPE, PC, PET, PMMA, PP PS and PVC and to quickly alternate plant set up between different customer requirements.

For some customers, Vanden said that it will be able to take plastic scrap and process it ready for re-use by the same customer, providing a new way of maximising the value of original feedstocks.

In addition, it has the capacity to effectively process redundant local authority wheelie bins.

Expansion

Although the site has only just become fully operational, Vanden said that has already secured land adjacent to the facility to create additional material storage space. This will allow the facility to increase its operations to two shifts per day.

Currently, the company said that the site has created 12 jobs, but when fully operational this is likely to increase to 20. Most of the jobs created are well paid and skilled.

“Our parent company Vanden Global sees opportunities in the UK plastic recycling sector, and this investment in this facility marks a vote of confidence in the UK,“ said David Wilson, managing director of Vanden Recycling in the UK. “This site was previously a transfer station. Following eight months of significant improvements both internally and externally, it is now ideal for our process.”

“There are many opportunities to expand plastics recycling in the UK, but the volatility of the markets means that doing so requires a high degree of expertise and understanding,” he continued. “Our intention is to expand this site and increase the quantity and quality of plastics recycled here in the UK.

Material being processed at the facility is focused primarily on post-industrial plastic waste from the vacuum forming, blow moulding, injection moulding, printing, retail and logistics sectors.

“Demand for material is high, but only if it meets the right standards,” concluded Wilson.

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