Celebrating the opening of the facility, Pearsons' managing director, Jo Pearson, explained that it was the next step forward for the company, which was established in 1945.
“My father started the business collecting newspaper, cardboard, scrap metal, glass bottles, empty sacks and rabbit skins with a trade bike,” he said.
“We have grown from a one man band to a £12 million turnover company employing 130 people,” he added.
Facility
The technology for the purpose-built facility was supplied and installed by Northern Irish firm Carmac Waste Handling Services, and in all the plant incorporates £1.2 million worth of their equipment.
This includes a Flexdeck screen, C733 Trommel, LSU C1200 Waste Classifiers and a range of associated picking, feeding and conveying systems.
Carmac's commercial director, Nishi Ward, said: “Pearsons can now achieve the highest recovery rate of any recycling plant in the UK.
“The plant is very effective in seperating out the different fractions of recyclable material. This enables Pearsons to sell a premium quality recycled material, free from contamination,” he added.
Pearsons operates throughout the East of England, and has set itself the target of recycling 100% of the waste it processes by 2010.
The company now plans to invest in a facility to allow it to shred and dry residual waste for use in electricity generation.
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