White Group invests £3m in region’s first RDF plant
WASTE management firm White Group is investing £3m in a new plant to turn commercial waste into an environmentally friendly fuel which will be used by aggregates giant Tarmac.
The company based in Eccles, in Greater Manchester, has launched a new division called ‘The Waste Exchange’ to operate the division.
It will convert commercial waste such as paper and wood – which would otherwise be sent to landfill – into ‘refuse derived fuel’ (RDF).
The Waste Exchange has already agreed a ten year deal to supply this fuel to Tarmac which will be used at its Buxton cement plant in place of the carbon dioxide-heavy fossil fuels.
White Group – which had a turnover of £12m to the end of last year – and the Waste Exchange have been advised on its new secondary fuel plant by Manchester law firm George Davies.
Commercial director Chris Naylon said that he believes that this investment combined with organic growth will result in the company’s turnover increasing by 25% over the next five years to £15m.
He said: “There will be great environmental benefits from this fuel which will not have the same carbon emissions as traditional fossil fuels.
“It will also divert rubbish from landfill which makes sense on a number of different levels – not least the fact that the rising cost of doing this.
“We are investing £1m in our plant in Eccles to sort through the waste to ensure that the rubbish which is used in the RDF is appropriate and another £2m in the processing equipment which will be used to produce it.
“We anticipate that demand for this fuel from Tarmac is going to increase dramatically in the years to come.”
The White Group is owned by former Manchester City player David White.
George Davies partner Paul Bibby said: “We have acted for David White and the White Group for some time and it is fantastic to see the Group going from strength to strength.
“The waste management sector is definitely a lucrative sector to be in at the moment with ‘green’ issues high up on most people’s agendas.
“This deal sees The Waste Exchange convert waste which would otherwise have gone to landfill and supply this to Tarmac who will utilise the RDF product locally.
“Coupled with this is the fact that this will be the only plant of its kind in the North West so this is a real win for business in the North West.”
