Closed Loop Recycling, which says it is the first company in the world to recycle both PET and HDPE plastic bottles into food-grade material for new food and drink packaging, has announced plans to expand the company’s Dagenham, U.K.,
plant to 60,000 metric tons per year. In a release, the company says that when the expansion is complete it will operate the most advanced plastics purification facility in the UK.
The cost of the expansion will be around £12 million (US$19.45 million).
The decision to expand its operations is the result of a joint agreement with the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC).
The deal allows Closed Loop Recycling to purchase an additional three acres adjacent to its existing site on the London Sustainable Industries Park at Dagenham where it will build a factory extension.
Construction on the site is likely to start in the fall of 2011, according to Closed Loop. The company adds that when the expansion is finished it will result in increased food-grade HDPE output, improved sorting facilities and better economies of scale.
“There is massive demand among major brand owners for more sustainable packaging solutions, and this expansion further enhances the UK’s fast growing sustainable industry. In addition to our wide range of customers such as Marks & Spencer, Britvic, Nampak and Solo Cup Europe, we have fantastic support from our waste partners such as Veolia and Shanks,” says Chris Dow, CLR’s managing director.
Closed Loop Recycling’s Dagenham plant has been operating since December 2008. Its current capacity allows the production of 35,000 metric tons of mixed plastic bottles, 11,000 metric tons of recycled PET and 6,000 metric tons of recycled HDPE per year. The company is also continuing with its plans to open a second food-grade facility in Deeside, North Wales. Once completed, the 90,000 square feet facility will process up to 50,000 metric tons of recycled plastic bottles per year.
Source : www.recyclingtoday.com
