The upgrade includes new sorting equipment from Impact Air Systems, Goudsmit and others, Recresco said, plus bespoke material handling equipment designed specifically for glass products.
The upgrade is to be partially funded through a Welsh Economic Futures grant awarded to the company last year (see letsrecycle.com story).
Kevin Edwards, Cwmbran depot manager, said: “We have been working towards this upgrade for several years and it is fantastic to finally see those plans taking shape with a combined commitment from the business and Welsh government.
“It is fantastic to finally see those plans taking shape”
“We are proud to serve our local economy through important connections with businesses in the region and job security for our workforce. We expect growth at the Cwmbran site will undoubtedly create further employment opportunities within Recresco and the wider community in the future.
“This investment makes highly efficient glass recycling possible while minimising waste, which is so important in supporting our long-term environmental goals. Wales is already a global leader in glass recycling, being first in the UK, second in Europe and third in the world, and we are proud to play a role in continuing this trend.”
Work on the upgrades began in June and Recresco expects it to be completed next month.
The glass recycling company expects that the programme will increase output by as much as 30% once complete.
‘Largest glass recycler in Wales’
Founded in Norfolk in 1978, Recresco describes itself as “the largest glass recycler in Wales”. The company claims to be the first to sort glass by colour, and the first to take glass sourced from materials recycling facilities (MRFs).
At Cwmbran, Recresco reprocesses glass from commercial and residential collections from Torfaen council and across Wales. It supplies cullet to several businesses in the UK, including nearby Knauf Insulation for the manufacture of glass wool insulation, and to Spain, Portugal and Italy for the creation of new glass bottles.
The company has headquarters in Nottingham and operates another reprocessing site in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.
Its Ellesmere Port facility is its largest, covering approximately 12 acres. Recresco announced in September 2020 it had completed a “multi-million-pound deal” with Peel Ports to purchase the site, which it had occupied on a lease basis for the previous 12 years (see letsrecycle.com story).
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