The appointment means that Mr Perkins, currently head of recycling at Aylesford Newsprint, will be moving across the paper industry from the newsprint sector to the brown grades side of the industry.
Smurfit Kappa has two UK mills, in Birmingham and Kent, and within Europe is the largest cardboard recycler, handling 4.5 million tonnes per annum. Smurfit Kappa Recycling’s current commercial director Martin Blood, who has been with the company for more than 40 years, is to remain on a part-time basis ahead of retirement.
Mr Perkins took up his Aylesford Newsprint post 18 months ago following the departure of his predecessor Chris White. Mr Perkins joined Aylesford from Biffa in 1994 as a recycling development executive and helped build the firm’s recovered paper supplies from 100,000 tonnes-a-year to 500,000 tonnes-a-year.
Pleased
Simon Weston, managing director of Smurfit Kappa Recycling said: “Martin Blood wants to take a lesser role with a view to retirement in the next few years and we are very pleased that Andrew will be joining us later in the year as commercial director. Andrew knows the trade and regards this as a fresh challenge.”
Looking forward
Mr Perkins said: “I am looking forward to joining Smurfit Kappa which will be part of the same world, a brown industry rather than white. I would stress what a tough decision it has been. I have been here for 17 years and have very much enjoyed it.
“My move to Smurfit Kappa will provide me with the opportunity of a new challenge and despite enjoying my time at Aylesford, the opportunity was too good to ignore.”
Mr Perkins also pointed to some new developments at Aylesford in the coming months, including the development of sorting facilities as well as new product ranges.
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