Bristol-based The Recycling Consortium and Network Recycling are to combine with Leeds-based Save Waste and Prosper (SWAP) to form a new organisation called Resource Futures Ltd.
” A merger is better for our clients and better for our business. We are bringing together a wealth of experience and expertise. “
– Jane Stephenson, Resource Futures Ltd
The reasons behind the merger have been ostensibly to formalise an existing partnership and provide “three times the expertise”.
However, the move is also seen as an attempt to compete with private sector environmental consultancies – particularly as various government grants come to an end.
The three organisations have earned 10% of their revenue through the lottery-funded Community Recycling and Economic Development programme, which is no longer accepting applications for funding. Consultancies in the community sector have also had to face a change in Defra policy towards the handing out of grants.
“Muscle”
Helen Coupland, marketing director for Resource Futures, explained: “This puts us in a stronger position to compete with other environmental consultancies. The merger has given us more muscle in the market place.”
The three organisations have already worked closely for Defra, WRAP and local authorities over the past three years, and the new combined group will continue to seek work from those avenues as well as the private sector.
Under the Resource Futures banner, 75 staff will work in offices in both Bristol and Leeds, with an annual turnover expected to be in the region of 3.5 million. The full merger is expected to be completed by early 2007.
Chief exec
Jane Stephenson MBE, the chief executive of the Recycling Consortium, has been appointed to become chief executive of Resource Futures.
Commenting on the merger, she said: “Our businesses originally started working together because there were some areas of expertise in which we were lacking. We also found that sometimes we were duplicating each other’s work and could see the practical and commercial benefits of being part of a larger group.
“We wanted to make our relationship more formal and a merger is better for our clients and better for our business. We are bringing together a wealth of experience and expertise enabling us to bring a more focused approach to meeting out client needs,” Ms Stephenson added.
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Resource Futures will offer technical advice, research and project management to clients while promoting waste minimisation, re-use, and recycling.
The merger will combine SWAP's background in household hazardous waste with Network Recycling’s knowledge of civic amenity facilities and the Recycling Consortium’s specialisation in community engagement and education work.
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