Thanks to an injection of £6.1 million, Toughsheet is increasing its capacity to 750,000m2 of construction membranes per year.
The company, which is based in Bolton, transforms plastic packaging waste such as HDPE and LDPE into 100% recycled damp-proof membrane. The new, high-tech equipment will see Toughsheet’s recycling of ethylene-based plastics rise by 66%.
The equipment being brought in by the investment is in the commissioning stage and is expected to be fully up and running by January 2022. The company will also employ an extra 26 employees, to join its existing staff of 74.
The new system shreds ethylene-based plastics waste, such as HDPE and LDPE, before heating it until it becomes a liquid. It is then filtered, pelletised, and moulded to produce Toughsheet’s damp-proof membrane.
Doug Mercer, managing director of Toughsheet, said: “At a time of uncertainty for many, we are optimistic about the future. This investment is an important step in ensuring that we maintain a strong UK market for manufacture.
“It will also help to build a more sustainable economy, making sure that UK waste packaging stays in the UK, where it can be properly recycled. The new machines are also more carbon friendly and provide a 30% saving on the energy needed for recycling.”
The funding was provided through the Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) system, which supports waste reprocessors in order to increase UK recycling capacity.
Ben Richardson, procurement director at Reconomy Group company Valpak, which worked with Mercers to secure the funding through a long-term contract to supply PRNs, said: “This is exactly the kind of investment we need to ensure that UK packaging waste is securely recycled on these shores. With the new equipment in place, Toughsheet will be processing up to 50,000 tonnes of waste plastics every year. As a manufacturer as well as a recycling business, it also offers additional circularity by guaranteeing a market for the material recycled.”
