Appointments round-up (24/04/15)

Steve Barker appointed MD of Yorwaste

Council-owned waste firm Yorwaste has appointed Steve Barker as its new managing director.

Mr Barker, 42, joined the firm 18 months ago as group operations director after previously holding positions with blue chips companies Lafarge and Tarmac.

He currently lives in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, with his wife Lisa and their two children.

Mr Barker’s appointment follows news that former managing director Steve Grieve has decided to step down after 16 years of leading the firm.

In that time, Mr Grieve has seen the company – which is owned by North Yorkshire and City of York councils – expand from a regional landfill company to a diverse waste business employing more than 230 people across 20 sites.

Welcoming the appointment, Mr Barker said: “These are exciting times for the Group. The business is evolving to give increased emphasis on our customers ever changing demands in this fast moving sector.

“Core to the Group is the supply of services to our shareholders to ensure they obtain the maximum benefit from the new Allerton Park Waste Recovery Park, which is due to come on stream in 2017.

“However, in parallel we will be developing our commercial offering, focusing on the specialist niche areas where the business has developed an excellent knowledge base including green waste, liquid treatment and electrical waste recycling.”

Mr Barker will formally take up his new role in May and will work closely with Mr Grieve to ensure a “smooth transition”.

Mr Grieve added: “I’m proud of what we have achieved over the years and wish the company and its employees every success in the future. I am absolutely confident my successor has the credentials to take the business forward.”

Stuart Tilney becomes head of TOMRA Sorting

Stuart Tilney has been appointed the new head of TOMRA Sorting Ltd UK, a provider of sensor-based sorting technology for recycling facilities.

He takes over the role from Jonathan Clarke, who moved to the position of commercial director of recycling for TOMRA Sorting in 2014.

Mr Tilney, who joined the firm (then TITECH) in 2008, will be responsible for developing strategy, managing operations, overseeing corporate and legal compliance and delivering the company’s ambitious growth objectives.

Commenting on his new role, Mr Tilney said: “My priorities will be to deliver the highest level of customer care, to provide current and future TOMRA customers with the best possible solutions for their business and to create an organisation that is capable of meeting the corporate challenges of the next five years.”

John Haddow joins Jayplas as group compliance manager

Plastics recycling firm Jayplas has appointed John Haddow as group compliance manager, tasked with driving quality, safety and environmental standards across the whole Group.

Mr Haddow takes on the newly-created role after previously serving as compliance and energy manager at British Polythene Industries.

In his new job, Mr Haddow will also be responsible for introducing an integrated quality and environmental management programme across Jayplas.

Commenting on the appointment, he said: “This is a great opportunity to really set the benchmark for sustainability and quality in the plastics reprocessing business. Jayplas already has the right approach to quality and environmental practices, it’s now about building on what exists.”

Andigeston hires AD compliance officer

Andigestion has appointed Tom Brown as its new environmental compliance officer at the firm’s new anaerobic digestion plant in Bishop’s Cleeve.

Mr Brown joins the organics recycler as it invests £2.3 million in a biomethane cleaning plant to export three million cubic meters of renewable gas each year to the National Grid.

The Bishop’s Cleeve site meanwhile will process food waste from Gloucestershire and the surrounding areas – with Mr Brown responsible for liaising with the Environment Agency and monitoring quality control at the plant.

He said: “It’s a really exciting time to join Andigestion. The new facility in Bishops Cleeve is state of the art and now that we’re starting to take in food waste from domestic collections and schools in Gloucestershire, we can start putting gas back into the National Grid for use by local homes.”