Irish waste company buys up British pair

IRELAND’S leading waste management company, NTR, has bought two British waste companies in a deal worth €10 million.

NTR’s waste management company, Greenstar UK, has announced the acquisition of Wastelink — the largest independent provider of waste management and recycling services in Britain.

In addition, RU Recycling has been acquired — it operates a major recycling centre in Lancashire, with another planned in Birmingham shortly.

The deal cements Greenstar UK’s position as the largest recycling-led waste management firm in Britain, and sees its annual turnover increase from £1m (€1.45m) in 2002, to a projected £45m (€65m) this year.

NTR chief executive Jim Barry, said Wastelink and RU Recycling generate an annual combined turnover of 30 million.

“The acquisition of both these businesses is a key part of the building of our UK business, where we are a market leader. Wastelink and RU provide a combination of front-end waste management. They allow us to go to large companies like Standard Life or RBS — and large retailers — and sort out their waste.”

Mr Barry added further expansion in Britain is planned, while NTR hopes to get a foothold on other markets in Europe and north America over the next three to five years.

Waste management firms are increasingly influenced by climate change, resource depletion and security of supply.