Mr Cooper, one of the all-time legends in the history of recycling, twice served as president of the UK trade association the British Metals Federation, and was also President of Honour at the Bureau of International Recycling.
 Alfred Cooper (1906 – 2002) |
In his early days, he headed the company established by his grandfather, turning it into the largest single enterprise in the UK industry. He often recalled his work in the family firm early in the last century when he was involved in metals as well as the collection of other materials. Mr Cooper was also keenly involved in the animal by-products division of the business until it was sold in the interests of the metals business.
Although he had handed over control of the company to his son Robert, he maintained an active interest in the group’s affairs up to and beyond its merger with the Liverpool-based Sheppard Group to create European Metal Recycling in 1996.
President of the British Metals Federation in 1964-5 and again in 1971-2, having previously occupied the Presidency of the Southern Metals Association, he was appointed the Federation’s first Honorary Life President in 1982, “in recognition and appreciation of his long and valued service to the Federation and the scrap metal industry”. At one time President of the Reclamation Industries Council, Mr Cooper was also made Honorary Life President of the Southern Metals Association, shortly after his ninetieth birthday in 1996.
As President of the County Cricket Club in his beloved Wiltshire, Alfred Cooper also showed he had as much passion for cricket and the countryside as he had in the industry he helped to shape. He also found much pleasure on the golf course and in horse racing, as well as in his garden at his beautiful home near Marlborough. His wife, Madge, passed away in 1990 after 64 years of marriage.
There will be a private, family funeral on Tuesday, 15th October. A memorial service will be held at a later date to be announced.
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