The transaction was completed on Friday, 30 October, for an undisclosed sum.
Shore Recycling confirmed to letsrecycle.com that the transaction is for Viridor’s entire WEEE division, but there are no immediate plans to reopen the St Helens facility, which Viridor announced it was closing in June (see letsrecycle.com story).
The Perth-based fridge recycling facility will remain open and be under Shore’s control, with all assets and personnel transferring over with immediate effect.
Shore Recycling, which specialises in the recycling of fridges as well as other WEEE, was previously bought by Viridor in 2008 for £23 million (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, according to documents on Companies House, a separate company also called Shore Recycling was incoporated in August 2020, which will now take over Viridor’s WEEE recycling business.
‘Strategic’
The deal marks Viridor’s exit from the waste electricals sector, which a spokesperson described as a “strategic decision”.
The Viridor spokesperson said: “Whilst Viridor recognises the recycling of electrical items is a vital part of waste management it has made the strategic decision to exit this activity. We would like to thank all our customers and staff at the Perth facility for their support over the years. We know that this support will continue for Shore Recycling to drive the business forward. We wish everyone the best for the future”.
Return
Shore Recycling chairman, Simon Howie, commented: “We are delighted to return to the sector, and we very much look forward to working with customers past, present and future to drive the business forward. There’s a strong team in the business, and we’re looking forward to getting started.”
The WEEE facility on Friarton Road, Perth, is the only plant in Scotland capable of recycling fridges and other electrical equipment.
Sales
The sale of Viridor’s WEEE business comes after the expectation that the company’s new owners, KKR, have opted to sell the recycling assets but keep the energy from waste business (see letsrecycle.com story).
Viridor’s recycling division, including plastics, glass and paper, is understood to be offered to the UK marketplace.
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