Investment spurs growth and innovation at waste shredding specialist

North Yorkshire-based industrial shredder company, UNTHA UK, has created a division dedicated to the complete rebuild of its machinery.

It aims to ensure seemingly tired technology that may have reached the end of its useful life with one organisation, could still have decades of operational potential with another.

The Boroughbridge headquartered company can now take back unwanted machines, before restoring them so they almost match the condition of when they were first commissioned.

Managing director Marcus Brew said: “The pace of change within the waste and recycling sector is undeniable. This means that some companies outgrow their shredding technology after five to 10 years and move on to look for an upgraded machine. But this shouldn’t render their incumbent equipment redundant.

“We spend all of our working lives at UNTHA UK helping clients make better use of the country’s resources, to ensure we reduce, reuse and recycle more ‘waste’.

“Now we’re really practising what we preach by devising a return-to-base scheme that keeps high-value equipment within the supply chain too.”

The launch of the division was made possible by the Product and Process Innovation (PAPI) project, which is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The PAPI project is delivered by the University of York and provides grants that help businesses from the region to spearhead the creation of new goods and services.

“The whole process was fantastic,” added Brew. “The PAPI team really embraced our vision and gave us a large investment which meant we could be up and running – with a fully-fledged new division – in a single phase.

“We now have a stronger client proposition, will have created three jobs by the end of 2019, and have strengthened our own commitment to the environment at the same time.”

Darrell Hooper, PAPI innovation adviser, said: “This is a great example of a business diversifying from it’s core product of selling brand new equipment.

“This capital investment means UNTHA can refurbish and revitalise older, less efficient equipment rather than consigning it to the scrap pile. The refurbished products also make a perfectly priced entry level point for smaller businesses to manage their shredding needs.”