Changes at the top for bottle recycler ECO Plastics

Mr Brown joins the plastics recycler from food packaging producer APPE Packaging UK, where he had served as business unit director having built up more than 18 years of experience in the sector, with Mr Short set to serve as deputy chairman.

According to the company, the new role will see Mr Short focus on innovation as well as the business medium and long term strategy alongside chairman Bill Reeves.

This comes at a time of major upheaval for the firm, whose chief financial officer Jeff Holder left the company in June to pursue other business ventures. ECO Plastics has today announced that Mr Holders vacancy will be filled by Darren Marr, who is set to join the company in the Autumn.

Commenting on the changes, Mr Short said: We are delighted to name Chris as our new CEO. He has a wealth of experience, is well respected throughout the FMCG industry and will slot straight in.”

Position

He added: More than anything, todays announcement is demonstration of the huge progress that ECO Plastics has made since we re-opened in 2010. These appointments leave us ideally positioned as we look to take our business into its next chapter, with a board that has huge industry experience and expertise.

Having enjoyed a record month in both operational and financial performance during June, I am now looking forward to seeing us go from strength to strength.

Mr Short has lead the company since its establishment in 2000 as AWS Eco Plastics, building the business into one of the continents most prominent plastics reprocessors and suppliers of food grade rPET.

He was instrumental in the inception of the companys 15 million joint venture with Coca Cola Enterprises, Continuum Recycling, which has lead to significant investment in the companys 150,000 tonnes per year capacity Hemswell bottle recycling facility, which is thought to be one of the largest plastics recycling plants in the world (see letsrecycle.com story).

Mr Short also guided the company through a turbulent period in its history following a major fire in August 2009, which severely damaged the site (see letsrecycle.com story).