Ekman handles more than one million tonnes of recovered materials a year, ranging from paper to metals, and also has interests in the pulp and wood pellets sector.
The purchase of Reliance Fibres was completed earlier this year. The business was incorporated in 2004 and is run by Pankaj Chowdhary, a board member of the Recycling Association. The deal is seen by Ekman as increasing “our presence in the important European recovered market”.
Shipment
Reliance explained that it sources material from the UK, Europe and the USA for shipment to a wide range of customers overseas.
Ekman entered the recovered material sector in 2004 through the acquisition of KC International, a US-based waste paper brokerage company founded in 1976. Since then it has expanded into other recovered material segments including plastics, metals, residues, steel and other materials. The company is looking to continue growing in the US market as well as throughout Europe and Russia.
Frank Crowley, of Ekman Group’s recovered materials division said: “We are excited to add such a strong, well established and experienced group of people to our team. The combination of Reliance Fibres and our existing business will provide a platform for growth that will be a key step forward in achieving our long term strategic goals. With this acquisition our organisational effectiveness and structure will be improved to better serve our global customers and suppliers.”
Flexibility
Having a strong European business as well as a counterpart in America, gives the company added strength, according to a company statement. This noted: “By having a presence in both continents it allows Ekman to have trading flexibility during market shifts in prices and supply.”
Commenting on world waste paper trends, the business has said: “The introduction of new paper and board machines around the globe that utilize recovered fibres will continue to drive the demand in this segment. In addition, we anticipate the competitive dynamics to shift in the forest product industry, resulting in more paper mill closures in both North America and Europe.
“This will result in lower domestic consumption of waste paper and a need for export fibre markets. The discounted paper segment provides a nice balance between prime white paper and recovered material grades which enables Ekman to offer a full range of services to our clients.”
Forest industry
Ekman & Co was founded in Sweden in 1802 and focuses on the “global forest industry”. The company told letsrecycle.com that it ships annually about five million tonnes of pulp, paper and packaging, recovered materials and bioenergy products in over one hundred countries.
Related links:
Ekman Group
Reliance Fibres
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