New starters and promotions for team Casepak

The Casepak team has recently strengthened its operations with two new appointments.

Matt Spurling joins as HSE Officer and Michael Spencer as MRF Maintenance Supervisor. As well as new additions to the team, Lee Gretton (previously Transport Manager) has been promoted to Operations Manager, and Ryan Corderoy has been promoted to Assistant Operations Manager, after spending 16 years as Casepak’s Yard Supervisor.

Georgina Cullen, Business Development Director, said: “We are extremely pleased to give a warm welcome to our new members of the team, and congratulations to existing staff on their promotions.

“Both of Casepak’s sites are becoming increasingly busy and we need the expertise and resource in place to cope with demand for our recycling services.”

The Recycler July 2019 – out now!

The latest edition of The Recycler is out now!

Read about how Casepak is tackling contamination – particularly with nappies in the recycling stream – new upgrades at the MRF and meet the new team members.

Check it out here.

Recycling revolution – a guide

Casepak has published a handy Recycling Guide which provides a definitive list of what the MRF can and cannot process. The guide gives tips on how to get the best out of recycling – i.e. by making sure material is clean and dry and no rogue items enter the recycling stream.

With the issue of contamination and its impact on end quality material high on the agenda, this guide aims to give clarity and guidance for householders.

Lee Bradbury, the MRF’s Operations Manager, said: “We hope this guide will help local authorities communicate with householders about what they can and cannot place in their recycling bins. We all want to get the very best out of our recycling , so it’s important that the right material comes into the MRF so we can then process it for the next stage of the recovery process.”

Click here to download a copy of the Recycling Guide.

Welcoming the local community to the MRF

Earlier this week Casepak hosted 13 visitors to its MRF, including council employees and members of the community who had expressed an interest in learning more about exactly what happens to material at the MRF. The group was taken on a tour of the facility and each step of the recycling process was explained.

Natalie Dawson, Strategic Waste Management Officer from Leicester County Council, said: “I was extremely impressed with the tour. It was well organised, informative and gave a real insight into Casepak. Our guide was very knowledgeable and happy to answer many questions. It was also amazing to see how efficiently people ‘on the floor’ were working (especially the pickers). I hope to visit again in the near future.”

Philip Gray, Senior Strategic Environment Officer at Leicestershire County Council, said: “A very interesting and informative tour with a knowledgeable guide and lots of impressive sorting machinery. It made me realise how hard people work behind the scenes to sort our recycling into usable materials, and what householders can do to help. I learned that Casepak wants clean, dry recycling and definitely doesn’t want nappies, textiles, liquid residues or food waste, which can all create extra work or spoil entire loads.”

Gemma Gascoyne, a member of the local community, joined the group to see what happens to her recycling once it’s collected. She said: “Thank you to the team for the tour today, it was really informative and a welcome insight into the world of recycling.”

Nicole Bradley, Casepak’s Business Support Co-ordinator organised the tour. She commented: “Casepak’s door is always open to the local community to come and get to know the behind the scenes workings of the MRF.”

Casepak adds Aylesbury Vale to local authority portfolio after 18,000 tonne recycling contract success

Casepak has been awarded a contract by Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) to process co-mingled recyclables collected from households across the region.

The contract, which was awarded in September 2018, will see Casepak process up to 18,000 tonnes of dry, mixed recyclables collected from 78,000 households across the Aylesbury Vale.

The material from kerbside collections, which includes paper, card, glass and plastic, will be sent to Casepak’s state-of-the-art Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Leicester. Here the material will be subject to the MRF’s rigorous sorting and grading procedures, which incorporate both manual and automated actions.

Once processed, the recovered materials will be despatched to reprocessors, to be refined before being made into new products.

Councillor Sir Beville Stanier, AVDC Cabinet Member for Waste and Licensing (pictured), said: “Casepak has made a positive first impression on AVDC in these early stages of our new contract. We hope that we can continue to build a great relationship going forward.”

Georgina Cullen, Casepak’s Business Development Director, said: “We are delighted to be working with Aylesbury Vale District Council. At present, the council’s recycling rate stands at 57%, and we are going to work with them very closely to boost this figure.

“We look forward to working with them to help educate residents about recycling best practice.”

Casepak gives Green Belle the green light

Casepak has made significant changes to its carbon footprint by installing new, energy efficient lighting systems at its MRF.

Ben Grundy, Business Infrastructure Manager at Casepak, said: “Being a responsible operator is an important part of our culture at Casepak and we are always looking at ways to reduce energy consumption, carbon footprint and energy costs.

“We were in the process of upgrading lighting at the MRF and the manufacturer of the units informed us about the Green Belle grant scheme.”

Green Belle has previously supported SMEs in Leicestershire by providing grants to help companies improve their energy efficiency through the installation of low carbon lighting and equipment. Part funded through European Regional Development Fund and Leicester City Council, eligible firms in the county could apply for grants of up to £10,000.

Ben continued: “We were delighted to hear that Casepak qualified for maximum funding through Green Belle. The grant enabled us to install 185W LED Clean Room IP66 High Bay optics covering an area of 14,000 SQM. Whilst this type of lighting is typically used in the food services industry, the optics’ dome design helps to prevent dust build-up and makes them easier to clean and maintain. This was the perfect solution for the MRF.”

The new lighting was installed more than a year ago and the team have noticed a huge difference in optics and operations.

Ben concluded: “The new lighting has made the MRF so much brighter. In addition, our new lighting plan provided us with a greater level of lux per sq. meter, whilst reducing the number of fixtures by 45%.”

Casepak saved the equivalent of 114 tonnes of CO2 in the first 12 months following installation of the LED lighting. This is an approximate carbon reduction from electricity usage for lighting of 59%. This is not a one-off reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and there will continue to be an annual saving as a result of this measure.

For more information on Green Belle please visit – https://www.greenbelle.org.uk/

Photo L-R – Before and After showing lighting at the MRF

Rutland councillors and residents visit Casepak MRF for behind the scenes tour

Casepak recently welcomed a group of councillors and residents from Rutland County Council to the MRF so they could get an insight into what happens to their recycling once it enters the facility.  

Casepak has been working with Rutland County Council since 2017 delivering quality recycling services. 4,000 tonnes of recycling from Rutland is collected and sent to the MRF every year, and the council has a current recycling rate of 57.8%. The group learnt where bottles, cans, packets and cartons disposed of by residents in their grey recycling bins go, and how material is sorted before being baled and sent to re-processors to re-enter the manufacturing process to be made into new products.   

Rutland County Council has a target to reduce household waste and increase recycling rates and aims to end its use of single-use plastics, such as straws and cups, in 2019.  

Councillor Gordon Brown visited the MRF and said: “Recycling is hugely important for the environment – we want to be a ‘green’ county in every sense and protect what we have for future generations.” 

Council Leader Oliver Hemsley, portfolio holder for Waste Management, Cllr Gordon Brown, and Ward Member for Cottesmore Cllr Richard Foster were joined by residents with a keen interest in recycling and protecting the environment to tour the Casepak facility. 

The visit was also a good opportunity for Casepak to reiterate the golden rules of recycling. Rutland residents were urged to ensure that material is clean and dry before being placed in the recycling bin. In addition, they were reminded of the importance of material being put in the bin loose and not in plastic carrier bags. Plastic film from carrier bags can damage equipment, contaminate other material and cause disruption and delays to the recycling process.  

Lee Bradbury, the MRF’s Operations Manager, said: “We were delighted to welcome Rutland councillors and residents to visit our MRF. It was a great opportunity for them to see behind the scenes, and everyone was particularity interested in what happens to the material once it arrives here. We hope the visit will encourage everyone to recycle as much as they can to help reach the council’s recycling targets.”   

If you are interested in touring the MRF then please contact us on 0116 286 7772. 

Casepak leads the way in Occupational Health and Safety Management with prestigious ISO 45001 certification

Family-run company Casepak is one of the first-ever recycling companies to have been awarded the new ISO 45001 certification, which underlines the company’s commitment to health and safety.

Published in spring 2018, ISO 45001:2018 is an international standard that cites requirements for an Occupational Health and Safety Management System, with guidance for use to enable a company to proactively improve its performance in preventing injury and ill health.

Casepak operates two sites in Leicester; a Collections and Processing Facility in Enderby, and a 165,000 tonne per annum Materials Recycling Facility in Braunstone Frith.

The company has a long-standing record of outstanding performance under the existing OHSAS 18001 Health and Safety Management System and wanted to exceed its commitment by working to migrate to the rigorous new ISO 45001:2018 standard soon after it was published.

ISO 45001 assists the company to identify and operate within legislative requirements, considers risks and opportunities for improvements and incorporates the views of wider interested parties relevant to the business environment – this being the main change from OHSAS 18001.

Elizabeth Mott, Casepak’s Compliance Manager, said: “Health and safety has always been an integral part of the business and we recognise the many hazards and challenges that operating within the recycling and waste management industry presents.

“Casepak adheres to our ‘Think Safety, Act Safely’ ideology and this has been demonstrated by the collective effort of all employees to achieve ISO 45001 certification. Attaining this new standard is a huge achievement and we will continue to maintain our outstanding record – well done team!”

Casepak’s ISO 45001 certification is subject to a three year cycle of external surveillance visits.

Casepak awarded 20,000 tonne contract from Cherwell District Council and South Northamptonshire Council

Family-run recycling and waste management firm Casepak has been awarded a contract by Cherwell District Council and South Northamptonshire Council to process up to 20,000 tonnes per annum of dry, mixed recyclables from each authority.

Cherwell District Council and South Northamptonshire Council (SNC) shared the management of their respective waste and recycling services in 2014, and the new contact with Casepak is due to commence in February 2018.
Cherwell operates a kerbside collection of mixed materials from 62,000 homes, while SNC collects mixed recyclables from 38,000 homes.

This material will be sent to Casepak’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Leicester and will include items such as paper, card, cardboard, metal cans, plastic bottles, trays and tubs, drinks cartons (including Tetra Pak® cartons), foil, aerosols and catalogues. Glass jars and bottles will also be collected and sent to the MRF as part of South Northamptonshire’s kerbside collection.

Georgina Cullen, Casepak’s Business Development Director, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Cherwell and SNC. This new contract will play a huge part in boosting recycling rates for each authority, and we will work closely with them to help educate residents about recycling best practice at home.”

Cllr Dermot Bambridge, SNC’s portfolio holder for environmental services, said: “With 10 bids it was a competitive tendering process but Casepak represented best value for both councils and gave us confidence they would be able to help South Northamptonshire maintain one of the highest recycling rates in the country.”

Cllr Debbie Pickford, Cherwell’s lead member for clean and green, said: “Casepak’s location in Leicester means our waste will spend less time on the road and will lower our emissions. “And following assurances about end markets and the sorting process we are looking forward to working with them and continuing to provide a quality service to residents.”

The two year contract was awarded on 21st December 2017, and there is an option to extend the contract by up to four years.

Casepak’s MRF has the capacity to process up to 165,000 tonnes of material each year, recovering 95% of the material processed. The MRF exceeds standards set out in the Code of Practice, and produces Technically, Environmentally and Economically Practicable compliant outputs.

The Recycler – read the latest edition here!

Click here to read the November 2017 edition of The Recycler and catch up with goings on at Casepak, industry news and comment.

Casepak secures 64,000 tonne recycling contract with Leicestershire County Council

Leicester-based recycling and waste management firm Casepak has been awarded a contract by Leicestershire County Council to process up to 64,000 tonnes per annum of dry mixed recyclables. 

Casepak wins 9,000 tonne contract with Erewash Borough Council

Leicester-based recycling and waste management company, Casepak has been awarded a contract by Erewash Borough Council to process 9,000 tonnes of co-mingled, kerbside recyclables per annum.

Casepak has processed recyclables from Erewash Borough Council since 2012 as part of a deal between the Council and waste management company FCC Environmental. Under this agreement Casepak was FCC’s chosen reprocessor for Erewash’s co-mingled recycling.

The new contract, which started on 1st April 2017, is a direct agreement between Erewash Borough Council and Casepak that will run until 2022, with the option to extend for a further two years.

Erewash Borough Council encourages all its residents to recycle and operates a kerbside collection service for dry mixed recycling to every household across the borough. Since the council collects co-mingled recycling this makes the service convenient for residents without the need to separate recycling into different boxes.

The recycling stream comprises paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, metal and aluminium cans, drinks cartons, batteries and all grades of plastic, including cling film.

Once collected from 54,000 homes across the borough, the items are sent to Casepak’s state-of-the-art Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Braunstone Frith, Leicester. The material is then sorted, graded and processed using the latest recycling technology.

Cllr Garry Hickton, Lead Member for Environment, said: “Erewash Borough Council’s current recycling rate stands at 42% and we are hoping that, with Casepak’s help, we can improve our recycling performance over the lifetime of the contract.

“In our dealings with Casepak under the previous contract, we have always found them to be professional and efficient. With the cutting edge technology utilised at Casepak’s MRF, residents in Erewash can recycle a wide range of items that has led to high levels of resident satisfaction with our kerbside recycling service. We all believe, now the new contract is up and running, that the service will go from strength to strength.”

“The council is committed to working in partnership with Casepak to ensure the contract is successful. We hope that during the contract term, additional items will be added to the recycling stream to make the service we provide to our residents even better.”

Georgina Cullen, Casepak’s Business Development Director, said: “Casepak has worked with Erewash Borough Council for the past five years, and were very pleased to be invited to look at ways in which to improve the service to ensure the council continues to receive best value.

“We recently welcomed key members of the council to the MRF, providing them with a tour and step-by-step process of the recycling journey materials go through. This visit provided the council with a greater insight and understanding of recycling and reprocessing.

“We look forward to partnering with Erewash Borough Council over the next few years and helping to increase recycling rates across the district.”

Casepak’s MRF has the capacity to process up to 150,000 tonnes of material each year, recovering 95% of the material processed. The MRF has exceeded standards set by the Code of Practice and produces Technically, Environmentally and Economically Practicable compliant outputs.

Rutland County Council selects Casepak to continue delivering quality recycling services

Casepak, one of the UK’s leading recycling companies, has been awarded a three year contract to process 3,800 tonnes per annum of Rutland County Council’s mixed dry recyclables.

Rutland County Council put the contract to process the county’s dry mixed recyclables out for tender earlier this year, and Casepak won following a competitive selection process.

The contract, which started at the beginning of May 2017, will continue for a period of three years. Casepak started its partnership with Rutland County Council in 2011, and the latest deal will see it continue through to 2020.

Dave Brown, Director for Places (Environment, Planning and Transport) at Rutland County Council, said: “We are pleased to be working with Casepak on what is an important service area for the Council.  Rutland is consistently ranked among the top performing local authorities in the country when it comes to recycling and we’re confident our partnership with Casepak will allow us to carry on this good performance.”

As part of the contract, Casepak will process a variety of waste materials including glass bottles and jars, paper, cardboard, metal packaging, aluminium foil, plastic packaging (excluding black plastics), plastic bottles and cartons, and household batteries. Recyclable materials will be collected through a co-mingled kerbside collection from nearly 17,000 homes in Rutland. Rutland currently boasts a 59% recycling rate.

Georgina Cullen, Business Development Director at Casepak, commented: “We are delighted to continue our long-standing and valued relationship with Rutland County Council. Over the past six years, Casepak has helped the council to exceed its recycling targets and it is very encouraging to see Rutland consistently among the top performing local authorities for recycling.”

The collected recyclables will be taken to Casepak’s £21 million MRF located on the Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate, Leicester, where it will be sorted and processed.

Casepak’s MRF has the capacity to process up to 150,000 tonnes of material each year, recovering 95% of the material processed. The MRF has exceeded standards set by the Code of Practice and produces Technically, environmentally and Economically Practicable compliant outputs.

The October issue is out!

Click here to read the latest edition of The Recycler and catch up on goings on at Casepak and industry news and comment.

Continued investment reaps rewards

Casepak has taken delivery of three new Caterpillar skid steer loaders for use at the Collections and Processing Facility in Enderby.

The upgraded loaders feature advanced display with capability and control settings as well as a reverse camera system. Each loader’s cab offers improved visibility, which has already resulted in a cleaner, clearer and quieter working environment. Each Caterpillar loader weighs 7.4 tonnes each and has the capacity to handle 2.5 tonnes of material.

Dave Cullen, Casepak’s Production Manager, said: “Our team has already noticed a great improvement in operations since the new machines have come on stream. The superior handling and immediate response of the controls allows materials to be handled more quickly, easily and efficiently than before – the loaders have certainly had a positive effect at the Enderby site. “

Charnwood chooses Casepak for 18,000tpa contract

Casepak, one of the UK’s leading recycling companies, has been awarded a two year contract to process 18,000 tonnes per annum of Charnwood Borough Council’s dry recyclables at its state-of-the-art Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Leicester.

Casepak was awarded the contract following a rigorous open tender process, and scored highest points on cost and quality of service.

The contract is already in operation and will run for the next two years, with an option to extend for a further two years.

Cllr Hilary Fryer, Cabinet Member for Open Spaces and Leisure at Charnwood Borough Council, said: “I am delighted we are now working with Casepak. They are a local company and it means these materials can be processed within Leicestershire, minimising the amount of transportation involved.

“We are committed to protecting our environment for future generations and supporting the local economy so this contract delivers on both fronts.”

Casepak will provide recycling excellence to Charnwood Borough Council, and the partnership will see Casepak assist the Council to improve recycling across the Borough, as well as supplying materials data, which will detail what materials are being recycled.

Furthermore, the Council will also develop and deliver targeted information to residents in a bid to increase participation and awareness of the types of material that can be recycled.

Georgina Cullen, Business Development Director at Casepak, commented: “This partnership enables Casepak to deliver first class recycling services within Leicestershire. We operate one of the UK’s leading MRFs and our team is committed to quality. We look forward to working with Charnwood to boost recycling rates across the borough.”
Dry mixed recyclables including material from 70,000 homes in the borough will be collected by the Council’s contractor and sent to Casepak’s £21million MRF located on the Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate, Leicester. Materials include plastic bottles and tubs, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, glass and food and drinks cans.

Casepak’s MRF has the capacity to process up to 150,000 tonnes of material each year, recovering 95% of the material processed. The MRF has exceeded standards set by the Code of Practice and produces TEEP compliant outputs.

Casepak boosts transport team operations

Casepak, one of the UK’s leading recycling and waste management firms based in Leicester, has expanded its transport team with two new hires.

Glenn Blackstock joins the team as Transport Manager. With 11 years worth of transport management experience at the Cooperative Food Group, Glenn has a Transport Manager’s Certificate of Professional Competence in Road Haulage and has received leadership training. Prior to joining Casepak, Glenn also passed the Health and Safety I.O.S.H. and has managed Tachographs to a nil infringement level.

His role at Casepak will see him managing a team of 17 drivers as well as the three staff who control the weighing in and out of vehicles and containers. Glenn will be based at Casepak’s Re-processing Facility site in Enderby.

Commenting on his new position at Casepak, Glenn said: “I am delighted to be a part of the Casepak team because of the professional and innovative ethic that the company achieves through its commitment to high service levels. I want to ensure 100 per cent legal compliance on all Driving and Working Time Directive regulations and hope to help the company achieve the best transport solutions and standards of service from my team, giving our clients the optimum level of service possible.”

Outside of work, Glenn is a real fitness fanatic, attending the gym and training for half marathons which he regularly participates in.

Casepak also welcomes a new Weighbridge Administrator, Stephen Clarke, who will also be working from the Enderby site. Stephen’s role involves the weighing in and out of both Casepak vehicles and international containers; ensuring loads are going out at the correct weight and scanning in any relevant paperwork. He is also responsible for planning daily work for Casepak drivers and resolving any issues that they may have, and liaises with customers about new jobs.

Stephen, who previously worked for the Inland Revenue where he attained a Certificate of Competency recognised by Investors in People, commented: “I am looking forward to learning new skills and gaining experience in a new industry.”

In his spare time, Stephen is a keen musician and plays in various bands and orchestras for a variety of genres of music. He also enjoys watching rugby and cricket.
Georgina Cullen, Casepak’s Business Development Director, said: “We are delighted to welcome both Glenn and Stephen to the Casepak team, who are already making valuable contributions to the day-to-day running of Casepak’s operations.”

The September issue is out!

Click here to read the latest edition of The Recycler and catch up on goings on at Casepak and industry news and comment.

Casepak expands weighbridge teams at Leicester sites

Casepak, one of the UK’s leading recycling and waste management firms based in Leicester, has expanded its team with the appointment of two Weighbridge Administrators.

James Stevenson joins the Casepak team at the Collections and Processing Facility in Enderby, having completed a course in business improvement techniques at his previous place of work, Rieke Packaging.

As part of his new role, James is required to check that the vehicles entering and leaving the facility are weighed correctly. Discussing his position at Casepak, James said: “The opportunity to work at the Enderby weighbridge was one that I could not pass up.”

In his spare time, James is a film buff and also enjoys real ales and ice hockey.

Casepak also welcomes Rowan Dauven to the team. Rowan has recently finished school and has joined Casepak as part of an apprenticeship programme through Leicester College. The programme will give him the opportunity to achieve a qualification in Business Administration while gaining hands-on experience in an ever-expanding company.

Rowan is based at the Materials Recycling Facility, which sorts and separates dry mixed recyclables. Speaking about his new venture, Rowan commented: “Casepak is a fantastic family business with high standards and I’m excited to be part of the team.”

Away from work, Rowan is a keen football fan and enjoys refereeing matches.

Georgina Cullen, Business Development Director, said: “We are looking forward to working with James and Rowan and helping Rowan work towards his qualification. They will both make a valuable contribution to the smooth running of weighbridges at both of our sites.”

Casepak awarded Linney Print contract

After a recent tendering process, Casepak’s Commercial Team has secured a new contract to facilitate the removal and processing of source segregated waste from Mansfield-based printers W&J Linney.

The contract is a significant coup for Casepak as Linney Print continues to buck the print trend by expanding year-on-year. Directors from W&J Linney and Casepak attended a site visit at the Enderby’s Collections and Processing Facility recently and there was immediate positive feedback surrounding current processes and standards on site.

Praise should be given to the production team at Enderby for their continued efforts in maintaining the high standards of housekeeping and quality that have become synonymous with Casepak. Well done to all!

Collections and Processing Facility keeps on upgrading!

At the end of last year, the Collections and Processing Facility took ownership of a brand new Lyndex Bi-Max baler which has helped to improve the efficiency of material processing on site. The new baler has already made an impact in the amount of material that is able to be processed on a daily basis.

To welcome the new addition we decided to hold a ‘name the baler’ competition, where employees at the Enderby site were invited to submit their suggestions. After careful consideration of all entries, the board of directors chose the winning entry and christened the new baler, ‘King George’ – a fitting tribute to Casepak’s late founder and chairman, George Smith.

Furthermore, the King Kong Baler has also had a main conveyor upgrade with a new system installed in April. Casepak engineers worked with the developers of the conveyor in making the bespoke system easier to maintain. The conveyor is an important addition to the continued progression of the processing facility. Plans are in place for further refurbishment of other conveyor systems over the course of the year, so watch this space…

Casepak helps staff on the Charity trail

A number of staff from both Casepak sites are taking part in events in order to raise money for different charities throughout the year. Casepak has been helping to back them up with sponsorship as well as helping to promote their causes at the same time. Recently, Production Manager Dave Cullen ran the Virgin Money London Marathon in aid of a local charity, ‘The Bodie Hodges Foundation’ and Finance Administrator Alex Girvan is hard in training for a half Marathon in the next couple of months.

Good luck team!

Casepak expands business development team

Casepak, one of the UK’s leading waste and recycling organisations, has strengthened its team with the appointment of a new Business Development Executive.

The business development executive will look to increase Casepak’s customer base adding new material supply and accounts for the Collections & Processing Facility and Materials Recycling Facility, both based in Leicester.

Georgina Cullen, Business Development Director, said: “We are pleased to welcome our new addition to the Casepak team. We are certain this appointment will be a valuable asset to the company.”

Vale of Glamorgan awards Casepak with three year contract

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has awarded Casepak with a three year contract for the processing of co-mingled materials within the Vale.

The 12,000 tonnes per annum contract started in April 2014 and runs for three years. After this time there is an option to extend the contract for a further year (to 2018).

The Council chose Casepak’s solution based on the company’s focus on quality during the competitive tender process. Furthermore, Casepak’s solution offered the most economical advantages that allowed the Council to plan for increasing recycling performance and provide the best value service for its residents.

Material collected from the kerbside of circa 55,000 households in the Vale of Glamorgan will be transported to Casepak’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).

Commenting on the partnership with Casepak, Councillor Rob Curtis, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Visible Services, stated: “We are very pleased to be working in partnership with Casepak over the next three to four years to achieve quality processes and increased sustainable management of recyclable materials produced within the Vale.

“I believe this partnership will prove advantageous to the Council, Vale residents and Casepak alike. Together we will be aiming to provide the best kerbside recycling service that meets all stakeholder needs.”

Mark Smith, Casepak’s Joint-Managing Director, said: “We look forward to working with the Vale of Glamorgan for many years to come, helping the Vale to increase recycling and become a more sustainable region.”

Casepak will be working within the criteria set by the revised Waste Framework Directive by maximising waste prevention with increased recycling, better use of resources and the development of services that protect the environment and promote more sustainable healthy lifestyles for the whole community. This contract will focus on recycling excellence, ensuring that material from the Vale of Glamorgan is of high quality once it has been passed through the MRF.

The process being provided by Casepak will achieve a minimum 93% recycling rate for all kerbside collected material produced within the Vale, with an objective to improve this figure to more than 95% over the next three to four years.

All materials will be sent to Casepak’s MRF, which has the capacity to process up to 150,000 tonnes of material a year, recovering 95% of the material processed.

Casepak strengthens operations with new appointments

Leicester-based Casepak, one of the UK’s leading recycling and waste management organisations, has bolstered its team with the appointment of a new Transport Manager and Business Development Executive.

Tony Price has joined Casepak as Transport Manager bringing with him nine years’ experience in the transport industry having previously worked in IT where he gained his skills in management.

In his role at Casepak, Tony is responsible for the team of drivers, ensuring they drive in a safe and courteous manner while adhering to EU regulations. He also oversees the weighbridge and its three staff, making sure that Casepak’s customers and suppliers are dealt with efficiently and day-to-day operations run smoothly.

Tony qualified as a Transport Manager in 2005 and carries a Class 1 HGV Licence. Speaking about his role at Casepak, Tony said: “I am delighted to have joined Leicestershire’s premier recycling company and I look forward to facing new challenges and opportunities and playing a part in maintaining the excellent reputation Casepak has gained over the last 41 years.”

Away from work, Tony is a keen drummer having spent most of the 1990s on the road in Europe, Japan and the UK with Caffeine, a band who toured with The Offspring. Tony still plays and also teaches drumming.

Casepak also welcomes Stephanie Dalton who joined the company earlier this month as Business Development Executive.

In this role, Stephanie will work for both Casepak and its partner company, Oceala, supporting the Business Development Team.

Away from work, Stephanie is a busy mum of two and when she has time she enjoys watching motorsports.

“I am thrilled to be working with Casepak and Oceala. I hope to help both companies expand their portfolio of customers and service providers,” said Stephanie.

Mark Smith, Joint Managing Director of Casepak said: “Tony and Stephanie are valuable additions to our team. Both will bring key skills and experience to their respective roles and teams they work in with a view to enhancing Casepak’s offering. I am looking forward to working with them for many years to come.”

Calling Leicester businesses ! Take advantage of a free recycling service

Leading recycling and waste management company, Casepak is offering small Leicester-based businesses the chance to dispose of their recyclables sensibly and do their part for the environment with a free recycling service.

Local businesses are encouraged to bring along material to Casepak’s Collection and Processing Facility, Feldspar Close, Warren Industrial Park, Leicester LE19 4SD, weekdays between 8am and 6pm.

Materials included in the free recycling service include:
– Card
– Paper
– Plastic – bottles and packaging
– Metals – aluminium and steel

The free recycling service allows local businesses to drop off their recycling to Casepak safe in the knowledge it will be processed efficiently and responsibly.

Mark Smith, Joint-Managing Director of Casepak said: “We understand most businesses have good intentions when it comes to recycling, however factors such as cost and time can often put paid to these plans. That is why we are offering small, local businesses the chance to bring their recycling along to our site at Enderby at a time which suits them*. It’s a free service which will allow local businesses to do their part for the environment without increasing operational costs.”

As well as the Collection and Processing Facility, Casepak also operates a Materials Recycling Facility on Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate. The company offers a no obligation waste audit for businesses looking to improve their waste management process, either increasing the quality of material recycled or making an existing process more efficient and cost effective.

Any business interested in taking up the free recycling offer should contact Vikki Brown at Casepak on 0116 286 7772 or email vikki.brown@casepak.co.uk .

*subject to facility opening hours. Booking and drop off is required.

Cardiff extends waste collection contract with Casepak

Cardiff County Council has extended its waste processing contract with Casepak by a further year, with an option to extend it by another year. Under the new contract, Casepak will process 7,000 tonnes of loose material and 5,000 tonnes of baled materials annually.

All materials will be collected by Cardiff County Council’s kerbside collection service and will be sent to Casepak’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Leicester, where they will be sorted into separate waste streams and subsequently supplied to reprocessors.

The new contract is an extension to a previous contract between Casepak and Cardiff County Council. Casepak has been working with the council for more than three years and is delighted to continue this partnership.

Ben Maizey, Contracts Manager at Cardiff County Council, said: “We have decided to extend our contract with Casepak as they offer the best value in price and service. Previous experience working with Casepak proved they are able to provide invaluable reporting and support in improving our services.”

Cardiff County Council operates a commingled collection which enables households to recycle items including paper, cardboard, plastics, food and drink cans and glass. The council collects from more than 170,000 households and has a recycling rate of 52%.

“With Casepak’s guidance, we are able to maintain these levels,” said Ben. “They have been open and supportive throughout our time working together and helped us to meet our statutory responsibilities in terms of waste data flow.”

Casepak’s Business Development Director, Georgina Cullen said: “I am delighted that Cardiff County Council has extended their contract with Casepak.
“The MRF is a competitive, efficient and effective solution for local authorities seeking to increase and improve their household recycling rate. It shows that a well-run MRF can make a real difference.”

All materials will be sent to Casepak’s MRF, which has the capacity to process up to 150,000 tonnes of material a year, recovering 95% of the material processed.

Casepak helps leading printing house achieve zero waste

Leicestershire-based recycling and waste management company, Casepak has improved the recycling performance of one of the UK’s leading printing companies, Greenshires. As a result the printer now operates as a zero waste to landfill business.

Casepak was commissioned by Greenshires to improve its waste management and recycling systems. The printing company’s existing waste and recycling infrastructure lagged behind its competitors, resulting in much of its waste entering landfill unnecessarily.

Casepak developed a tailor-made waste management programme for the printers and installed an updated range of equipment to process its recyclable materials. This included the installation of a high-specification waste extraction system and filter from Impact Air; two Thetford units, including a T3 model with rear-loading facility; a Pakawaste Powerkube semi-automatic baler and a Pakawaste VB56 vertical baler.

As part of its comprehensive strategy, Casepak installed separate bins so that cardboard and plastic would be removed from the waste stream. This reduced the number of collections of office waste by a third. An important part of this strategy was ensuring that employees understood the importance of waste separation – Casepak overcame this issue by engaging with staff and delivering an in-house education programme.

These initiatives benefitted Greenshires financially as they received £50,000 from Casepak in the first year of the partnership for the recycled materials.
As a result of the changes, Greenshires preserved its ISO:14001 accreditation – the industry standard for control and improvement of a company’s environmental impact.

Jonathan Green, Production Manager at Greenshires, said: “Greenshires’ involvement with Casepak has been beneficial to us from day one. Its recommendations were far in excess of what anyone else could offer.”

Mark Smith, Joint-Managing Director at Casepak, said: “It is great to see how our recommendations and strategy have helped Greenshires become a more environmentally sustainable business. By making changes to waste management and recycling procedures and providing education for staff, Greenshires is a fantastic example of how zero waste to landfill can be achieved.”

Greenshires supplies printed marketing material to brands including Next, Fauve Lingerie and Fred Olsen. After Casepak upgraded the company’s recycling and waste infrastructure, Greenshires’ environmental performance was given the boost it needed to surpass its competitors and deliver an outstanding service to its clients.

Casepak has more than 40 years of experience in the recycling sector and can help businesses improve recycling procedures. With two sites in Leicester (a Collections and Processing Facility and a Materials Recycling Facility), Casepak is able to provide recycling solutions for both segregated materials and dry mixed recyclables.

Casepak offers a free zero waste audit for companies looking to improve recycling and waste management performance.
For more information on Greenshires please visit www.greenshires.com.

George Smith – 1936-2013

With great sadness Casepak has announced that its Chairman, founder and inspiration, George Smith, passed away on 23rd September at home in Leicester.
Born George Albert Edward Smith in 1936 in Leicester, George was one of life’s true entrepreneurs. On leaving the navy aged 19, he worked in a local grocery store and then, in the early 1960s, on realising there was no bingo hall in Leicester he acquired the Corn Exchange and drew in the crowds providing bingo to the people. He soon gained the moniker Bingo George, which stayed with him for the rest of his life.

Moving on from bingo George joined Vinaflex in Leicester initially on the Shop Floor making soles for shoes, quickly becoming Manager. Vinaflex used a lot of very expensive cartons, and in a bid to reduce costs George started buying second-hand cartons. After speaking to other companies he realised he had found a niche in the market and in 1972 he launched his own second-hand carton business, employing seven people and called Casepak.

As business grew George identified another niche by selling his unusable cartons for recycling. He quickly realised that recycling was the way forward and he expanded his business by winning contracts across the Midlands with box makers, printers and news houses.

The business proved a huge success and in 1997 Casepak moved to a purpose-built site in Enderby, processing 144,000 tonnes of recycled material every year. Keeping ahead of developments as always, George saw that the increasing demand for total waste management, coupled with Government legislation to reduce the amount of material going to landfill and the company embarked on a new, £21 million venture to design, develop and construct a 150,000 tonnes per annum MRF (Materials Recycling Facility). The MRF was officially opened in 2012 by the Recycling Minister Lord Taylor of Holbeach by presenting a commemorative plaque to George.

A great family man, George grew Casepak with support from his eight children, all of whom still work in the business. From the original workforce of seven, Casepak now employs over 200 people and was named Leicestershire Business of the Year in 2012.

George’s Funeral is being held at 2.45pm on Friday 4th October at Leicester Cathedral (St Martin’s), and afterwards at The Keith Weller Suite at Leicester City Football Club.

The family has requested that should anyone wish to make a donation in memory of George, contributions should be sent to the Alzheimer’s Society.

Casepak MRF welcomes trainee teachers

Leicestershire-based recycling company Casepak recently welcomed 10 student teachers to the Education Room at its Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).

The students are currently undertaking a one year primary postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) at The University of Leicester and were encouraged to visit the Casepak MRF by Leicester City Council to see the facility in action as an example of recycling best practice.

The PGCE students were the first student teachers to visit the MRF in a bid to see how they would be able to incorporate recycling, the 3Rs and a visit to the MRF into lesson plans for primary school children. The students took a tour of the facility and following the visit devised lesson plans including how recycling initiatives can be introduced in the classroom.

The Casepak MRF is home to a dedicated Education Room which includes a viewing gallery where visitors are able to see how the MRF works from delivery of materials through to sorting and processing. Visitors will see the type of material that comes in, from household recycling collections, the processes used to separate the materials and what material can be turned into. In addition, full tours of the facility are conducted and the Education Room has an interactive whiteboard and character-based work sheets with recycling quizzes, specifically designed for younger visitors.

Senior Teaching Fellow at the University, Sue Millhouse said: “We all thought the efficiency and size of the MRF was amazing. Watching the procedures was just incredible. All of the staff were very helpful and friendly and we had a very constructive visit. We may well plan are planning to bring primary school students to visit in 2013 when we have our own class.”

Georgina Cullen, Business Development Director at Casepak said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the trainee teachers to our MRF. Our Education Room has been designed to show students how the MRF works first-hand and its current and future role in UK recycling technology. Working with teachers to help primary and secondary school children see exactly what their household recycling behaviours can achieve is so important. We are looking to develop our Education Room throughout 2013.”

Casepak operates the UK’s most technologically advanced MRF which came on stream in September 2011 and was officially launched in January 2012 by Lord Taylor. The £21 million facility has the capacity to process 150,000 tonnes of materials a year at a speed of 26 tonnes per hour, recovering 95% of the material processed as a resource.

Casepak MRF to host Envirolink conference

Leicestershire-based recycling company Casepak will use its state-of-the-art Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) to host the next Envirolink conference on Thursday 18th October.

The conference will explore the role of MRFs in the supply of quality materials to industry and reducing the need for virgin feedstock. Topics covered will include: how to maximise quality, the MRF Code of Practice, understanding MRF performance, plastics packaging, and updating an existing MRF.

Kevin Thomas, Director MRF Operations at Casepak, said: “This Envirolink conference is a great way to bring together the industry to discuss and assess ways in which we can improve the UK MRF industry by sharing experiences and opinions. We’d also like to welcome delegates to take a tour of the Casepak MRF and see it in operation.”

A selection of the industry’s key players will be present including:

• Peter Jones OBE, Ecolateral
• Kevin Thomas, Director MRF Operations, Casepak
• Steve Waite, Sector Specialist – MRFs and Materials Sourcing, WRAP
• Roger Morton, Director, Axion Consulting
• Richard Morgan, Associate Director, Wardell Armstrong
• Stephen Spencer, National MRF Manager, Veolia
• Stuart Foster, Chief Executive, Recoup

Delegates will also have the opportunity to experience a state-of-the-art working MRF in action by taking a tour of the Casepak MRF. Delegates taking up this opportunity have been asked to bring their own PPE.
• Date: 18th October 2012
• Time: 9am – 3pm
• Location: Casepak MRF, Sunningdale Road, Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate, Leicester LE3 1UX
For more information and to download the full conference programme please follow this link: http://www.casepak.co.uk/About_Us/Envirolink_conference_18th_October_2012/

Casepak operates the UK’s most technologically advanced MRF which came on stream in September 2011 and was officially launched in January 2012 by Lord Taylor. The £21 million facility has the capacity to process 150,000 tonnes of materials a year at a speed of 26 tonnes per hour, recovering 95% of the material processed as a resource.

Casepak creates more than 100 new jobs in Leicestershire

Recycling company Casepak has created 108 new jobs in Leicestershire since the launch of its new Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in September last year. Located on a brown field site, once the British Shoe Association sports ground, the new facility has also provided the region with the very latest recycling solutions. This will help the area’s local authorities, householders and businesses to reduce waste, recycle more and, importantly, use fewer virgin materials.

Despite the difficult economy, Casepak has bucked national trends and exceeded its initial target of employing 100 new staff this year. And, with more capacity at the plant, the company’s growth is expected to continue into next year.

“Before opening the MRF we employed 77 people at our plant in Enderby,” explained Joint Managing Director Mark Smith. “With our second site at Braunstone Frith now providing 108 jobs, we’ve more than doubled our workforce in the last 10 months, which is phenomenal.”

The MRF is an extremely high tech facility incorporating the latest recycling equipment to separate and sort a wide variety of materials typically found in dry mixed household recycling collections. These materials need to be effectively sorted to ensure that they are contaminant-free and are suitable for use in the manufacture of new products.

During the last 10 months the MRF has provided opportunities and training for local jobseekers at a variety of levels including 87 operational employees, a 12-strong maintenance team and nine general/administrative employees.

“We plan to grow even more, processing more material, winning more contracts and employing more people,” said Mark Smith. “Earlier this year we were announced as the Leicestershire Business of the Year 2012, which just goes to show that our investment and commitment to developing excellent green solutions has been recognised locally.”

Casepak helps printer with zero waste goal

Leicestershire-based recycling and waste management company Casepak is working with printer Artisan Press to help it reach its zero waste objective within the next 18 months.

Artisan Press is one of the UK’s largest, fully independent web offset printing specialists. The company prints a variety of catalogues, magazines and brochures, operating 365 days a year around the clock. With six web offset presses and six binding lines operating across three sites, Artisan has relied on Casepak to provide recycling services for all of its recovered paper, card and plastic packaging for the last three decades.

However, with landfill becoming increasingly expensive and environmentally unacceptable, the Artisan team was keen to increase the volume and variety of materials recycled, with the intention of becoming a zero waste to landfill company during 2013. To meet this objective, Casepak has identified and is putting in place a phased strategy of small and simple efficiencies that will change the way the company approaches waste management.

“We’ve worked with Casepak for a long time,” explained Gavin Hall, Artisan’s Works Director. “Initially they helped us by collecting and recycling our segregated and compacted fibre, including white paper, printed material and also card. As we’ve grown, we’ve asked them to take care of more and more aspects of our waste management, from general office waste to food waste. They now look after not only additional materials such as plastic strapping but are also responsible for the installation and maintenance of our on-site balers, compactors and bins.”

The Casepak team is now reviewing Artisan’s residual waste with the intention of taking them on their final journey to zero waste.

“Our current recycling rate is just above 90%,” said Gavin. “Working with Casepak, we’re looking to achieve zero waste within the next 18 months.”

Throughout the course of the last three decades Casepak has continually invested in new technologies and equipment which have enabled Artisan to improve its recycling and waste diversion rates. Most recently an upgraded waste extraction system was fitted at one of Artisan’s sites to accommodate a new high speed bindery machine. The new dual compaction system has been installed to provide continual operation combined with a segregation process. This means that the dust resulting from the bindery process can be captured and formed into briquettes which can subsequently be used as a refuse-derived fuel for supply to an Energy-from-Waste facility.

Gavin Hall, Artisan’s Works Director, said: “We’ve worked with Casepak for a long time. Initially they helped us by collecting and recycling our compacted fibre including white paper, printed material and also card.
“As we’ve grown, we’ve asked them to take care of more and more aspects of our waste management. Our production never stops so it’s important to us to have the continuous support which Casepak provides.”

Mark Smith, Joint Managing Director at Casepak, said: “Casepak and Artisan Press have had a long and successful relationship and I am delighted that we will be helping Artisan achieve their zero waste goal.

“It’s great to see companies embracing zero waste. It is incredible how small changes in behaviour can hugely impact the amount of waste that is diverted from landfill.”

Casepak offers a free zero waste audit for companies who would like to improve their recycling and waste management performance. Further information can be found at www.casepak.co.uk or by calling 0116 286 7772.

Casepak’s recycling performance hits the right notes

On Wednesday 27th June, Leicestershire-based recycling company, Casepak held ‘The Five Step Approach to Recycling Performance’ conference at its state-of-the-art Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).

The conference was well attended by local authorities from across the UK as well as some of Casepak’s existing local authority clients, customers and suppliers. The premise of the conference was to bring together those in charge of recycling to discuss ways in which recycling performance and associated communications can be improved.

Kevin Thomas, Director, MRF Operations, for Casepak said: “The conference was all about how, as an industry, we can all work together by sharing our best practice and operational experiences to improve the quality of outputs supplied to UK reprocessors.”

The conference was supported by guest speakers Ray Georgeson, CEO of the Resource Association; Steve Waite, Sector Specialist at Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP); Kevin Pegg, Group Manager, Neighbourhood Services, Blaby District Council.

Kevin Thomas delivered a presentation on the challenges faced by local authorities and recycling companies in delivering good quality recovered materials to UK reprocessors.

Subsequent presentations investigated the role that effective local authority collections can play in contributing towards closed loop recycling and promoting the green economy. Guests were presented with the UK’s latest MRF statistics from WRAP and a case study from Blaby District Council showing how it had improved the district’s recycling rates.

All carried one core message which stressed that it is imperative to keep good quality material coming into UK MRFs in order to secure the future of the industry for many years to come and develop the sector further.

Each presentation sparked interesting questions and debate from delegates about how to increase recycling performance and, in particular, effective ways in which this can be communicated to residents.

The conference paved the way for further discussion on this matter.

Kevin Thomas continued: “The conference was the first step in this process – that’s why we wanted to host it at the MRF to showcase its technology but also to stress that technological advances alone will not deliver the quality needed and to emphasise how quality needs to originate from source. We need to work together to educate each other and spread best practice initiatives to keep the UK MRF industry alive. We had positive feedback from all who attended and we will certainly look into holding a similar event in the future.”

The conference was followed by a networking event at Leicester County Cricket Club where guests enjoyed a Twenty/Twenty match between Leicester and Yorkshire. Luck was on Yorkshire’s side on this occasion as they beat Leicester by four runs, winning the match.

Casepak operates the UK’s most technologically advanced MRF which came on stream in September 2011 and was officially launched in January 2012 by Lord Taylor. The £21 million facility has the capacity to process 150,000 tonnes of materials a year at a speed of 26 tonnes per hour, recovering 95% of material processed as a resource.

Casepak is Leicestershire’s top business

Recycling company Casepak has been named as Leicestershire’s ‘Business of the Year 2012’ at the prestigious Leicestershire Business Awards. Casepak also won the award in the ‘Investing in Leicestershire’ category.

These achievements highlight the company’s commitment to Leicestershire by creating local jobs as well as substantial financial investment within the county in the last two years.

Mark Smith, Joint Managing Director at Casepak, said: “We were up against stiff competition, but this is a real accomplishment and testament to our success as a Leicestershire-based business. We are delighted to be recognised for our investment into the latest technologies which is sure to have helped us win these awards.”

Judges were impressed with Casepak’s £21 million Materials Recycling Facility (MRF), in Braunstone Frith, which is capable of recycling 95 per cent of the material it processes.

Casepak also operates a Collection and Processing Facility in Enderby which processes 145,000 tonnes of paper and plastic every year. Over 99% of all materials that is delivered to the facility are recovered. Judges added that Casepak stood out through ‘extraordinary efficiency’ at both facilities.

Andy Jackson, one of the Leicestershire Business Awards judges, said: “What Casepak do differently is the whole process of recycling. From purchasing the waste from the councils right up to the end of the process where they are able to recycle 97% of recovered material.”

On a visit to the Casepak facility, judge Sue Tilly, was impressed with the efficiency and modernity of the Casepak MRF. “I almost forgot that I was looking at recycled materials. It was very clear that the materials were a commodity.”
The MRF has the capacity to process 150,000 tonnes of dry, mixed material per year such as paper, card, glass, steel, aluminium and plastic. It also has the ability to sort TetraPaks, food packaging household batteries and plastic film – this sets the MRF apart from others of its kind. It currently operates 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and employs the most up-to-date technologies including:

• A specialist screen to divert highly compacted materials between 50mm and 100mm in size, ensuring separation of plastics and cans from paper grades is maximised.
• Three quality inspection cabins, which offer over 50 quality checking positions to ensure material meets the highest quality standards.
• A de-inking screen sorting newspapers and magazines ensuring it is of the correct quality for use of UK recycled paper mills.

These initiatives ensure that the MRF is highly efficient and produces a high quality output which, ultimately, makes the material more desirable to reprocessors.

Since the MRF became operational in September 2011 it has been awarded contracts by Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, Rutland County Council and South Holland District Council. The MRF was officially launched by Waste and Recycling Minister, Lord Taylor in January 2012. The MRF also has an education room to accommodate school visits to the facility.

Winning these awards demonstrates Casepak’s commitment to the county through investment and employment. The Company has had deep roots in Leicestershire since the 1970s and being presented with these awards helps show the positive impact that Casepak has had on the county and local economy.

Casepak’s Joint Managing Directors, brothers, Martin and Mark Smith collected the awards.

Martin Smith commented: “Our £21 million investment in our MRF has really paid dividends by hugely increasing our capacity and efficiency as well as improving the quality of recovered materials. This is in addition to our 145,000 tonnes per annum Collection and Processing facility. It is great to be recognised for this.”

Casepak launches local authority conference to improve recycling performance

Leicestershire-based recycling company Casepak will use its state-of-the-art Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) to host a conference for local authorities to share best practice knowledge and discuss methods to improve recycling performance.

The ‘Five Step Approach to Improved Recycling Performance’ conference will take place on Wednesday 27th June, 2012. The conference has been specifically developed to help those responsible for improving local authority recycling performance and associated communications.

Kevin Thomas, Director, MRF Operations, for Casepak said: “It is vital for the recycling industry as a whole that we share our operational experiences and research to spread best practice and improve the quality of outputs supplied to UK reprocessors.

“Technology alone will not deliver the improvements and efficiencies needed to recover more materials, but education and shared knowledge can help to bridge the gap and improve recycling performance and quality in the UK.”

The conference will provide an opportunity to share best practice and identify new opportunities for improvements. It will also focus on how to get the best out of MRFs based on Casepak’s experiences over the past few months.

Speaking at the conference are:
• Kevin Thomas, Director of MRF Operations, Casepak, who will consider the challenges faced by local authorities and recycling companies in delivering good quality recovered materials to UK reprocessors and provide an overview of the key criteria in delivering best practice.
• Steve Waite, Sector Specialist, Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), who will deliver a presentation on the latest MRF performance statistics.
• Ray Georgeson, Chief Executive, Resource Association, who will explain how effective local authority collections can contribute to closing the loop and establishing a green economy.
• Kevin Pegg, Group Manager Neighbourhood Services, Blaby District Council, who will describe the steps taken by the council to improve recycling performance and outcomes.

The conference will be followed by a networking event at Leicestershire County Cricket Club where delegates will enjoy a Twenty/Twenty match between Leicestershire and Yorkshire.

Casepak operates the UK’s most technologically advanced MRF which came on stream in September 2011 and was officially launched in January 2012 by Lord Taylor. The £21 million facility has the capacity to process 150,000 tonnes of materials a year at a speed of 26 tonnes per hour, recovering 95% of the material processed as a resource.

South Holland District Council awards waste contract to Casepak

South Holland District Council has awarded a new 3-year recycling contract to Casepak. Under the contract, 9,348 tonnes of commingled recovered materials collected through the authority’s kerbside collection will be processed at the Casepak Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Leicester.

The contract, which comes into effect from the 1st April 2012, was awarded to Casepak following a competitive procurement process involving six bidders. Casepak’s bid was considered to be the most competitive solution.

South Holland District Council collects recyclable materials from 38,241 households each week. The materials collected include: paper, cardboard, plastics, food and drink cans, textiles and mixed glass. The Council currently recycles 34%-35% of its waste.

Under the new agreement, recovered materials will be delivered to the Casepak MRF where they will be sorted using the very latest sorting and separation technology. The Casepak MRF, which was officially opened just a month ago by Waste and Recycling Minister Lord Taylor of Holbeach, is the most advanced of its kind in the UK. The MRF is the UK’s first to incorporate specialist screening for highly compacted materials and also features a specialist de-inking screen. The de-inking screen ensures that newspapers and magazines recycled through mixed collection schemes reliably and regularly reach the quality standard required by reprocessing mills in the UK. Incorporating high-technology plant of this type ensures that Casepak secures the best markets for its materials – a factor which impacts on its ability to provide competitive solutions for local authorities.

Commenting on the award of this latest contract, Mark Smith, Casepak’s Joint Managing Director, said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded this contract. We’ve installed the best technology here at Casepak and it is already proving popular. It enables us to be both competitive and flexible in our approach and in this instance it has helped us to make significant savings for South Holland District Council.

“We are very much looking forward to working with South Holland District Council over the coming years.”

If the partnership proves successful, South Holland District Council has the option to extend the contract for a further three years.

Commenting on the contract, Councillor Roger Gambba-Jones, Portfolio Holder for Waste Management, said: “We are looking forward to working with Casepak and utilising one of the UK’s most advanced, efficient and flexible plants for the management of dry, mixed recyclable materials.

“I sincerely hope that, having seen how recycling can make such a valuable contribution to council services, residents will work with us to increase even further the amount of household waste they recycle.”

The Casepak MRF became operational in September 2011 and represents an investment of £21 million. The facility has the capacity to process 150,000 tonnes of materials a year at a speed of 26 tonnes per hour, recovering 95% of the material processed as a resource.

Lord Taylor launches Casepak’s £21 million Materials Recycling Facility

Today, 16th January 2012, Casepak celebrated the official launch of its Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). To mark the launch, Environment Minister Lord Taylor of Holbeach, attended the event as guest of honour, giving a short speech and presenting a plaque to the company’s Chairman and founder George Smith.

Following the presentation, guests from the waste industry and public sector were given tours of the new facility, which features some of the most progressive materials sorting equipment and processes currently available in the UK.

Casepak has invested £21 million into the development of the MRF, located at Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate, Leicester, and has acquired new technologies to ensure maximum materials recovery combined with increased cost efficiency. The resulting MRF has the capacity to sort 150,000 tonnes of dry, mixed recyclables a year including paper, card, plastics, metal and glass and aims to recover 95 percent of the material processed as a resource. The remainder will be used as a fuel for energy recovery.

The Casepak MRF has been designed to incorporate the very latest recycling technologies, affording significant flexibility for householders and businesses to maximise the amount of materials recycled. The MRF is the UK’s first to incorporate specialist screening for highly compacted materials and also features a specialist de-inking screen which ensures that newspapers and magazines recycled through mixed collection schemes reliably and regularly reach the quality standard required by reprocessing mills in the UK.

Environment Minister, Lord Taylor said:

“I’m delighted to be able to come and open this new recycling plant. There are huge business opportunities in the growing recycling industry and Casepak’s £21 million investment in this new plant is already showing rewards. This facility is not just good for the environment, with 150,000 tonnes of waste not going to landfill, it is also a significant boost to the local economy creating 100 new jobs in the area.”

Mark Smith, Joint Managing Director said: “This is a major milestone for Casepak and we are delighted that Lord Taylor has taken time to open the facility. Since the MRF became operational in September we have already secured contracts to manage several local councils’ recyclable material streams and we aim to do more of the same in 2012.

“Our first shift is already complete and our emphasis will continue to be on securing new contracts and working with our customers and recycling partners to ensure that we can deliver the good quality materials required by the reprocessing industries.”

Casepak was formed in 1973 as a family business. The company sorts, processes and trades a further 145,000 tonnes of source segregated paper, card and plastics each year through its Collection and Processing Facility in Enderby, Leicester. Combined the company’s facilities can currently process 300,000 tonnes for recycled materials a year. Both facilities are centrally located in the heart of England, with easy access to Junctions 21 and 21a of the M1.

ENDS

To download high resolution images of Casepak’s MRF and images from the official launch please follow this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/quantumpr/sets/72157628852251657/.

For more details, please contact: Adrienne Robins or Sananur Meric at Quantum Public Relations on 01233 500200. Email Adrienne@quantumpr.co.uk or sananur@quantumpr.co.uk.

Editor’s Notes

Casepak is jointly owned by G.A.E Smith (Holdings) Limited and SCA Recycling UK Ltd.

The company was founded in 1973 by George Smith. It has a fleet of 22 vehicles which collect paper, card and plastics from organisations throughout the central belt of the UK.

The new MRF is located at Sunningdale Road, Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate, Leicester LE3 1UX.

The 145,000ft² building is situated on a 5.55 hectare site away from residential properties and with easy access to the Junction 21 of the M1.

Casepak has invested £21 million in this new plant which includes the latest materials sorting technology from Bulk Handling Systems, of the USA.

Midlands construction company GF Tomlinsons was responsible for the site and building construction.

The Casepak Collection and Processing Facility employs 77 people. Since becoming operational in September, the Casepak MRF has provided an additional 60 positions.

When operating at full capacity the Casepak MRF will provide employment for more than 100 people.

Anyone interested in applying for a role at Casepak should first visit the Casepak website for a list of current vacancies, required skill sets and contact details. www.casepak.co.uk

First UK MRF to sort highly compacted material opens

Casepak has opened its £21 million materials recycling facility (MRF) which is the first in the UK to incorporate a specialist screen to recognise and separate the highly compacted plastic and metal food packaging found in household recycling collections.

Centrally located in Leicester, the new Casepak MRF sorts and separates dry mixed recyclables at 26 tonnes per hour and has an annual process capacity of 150,000 tonnes per annum.

The system has been designed to capture a minimum of 95 per cent of the materials processed as a resource while maximising the purity levels of the end product.

The MRF has three key features which will deliver these purity levels, ensuring the end materials reach the quality standards requested by reprocessors: a 50-100 mm bypass screen which recognises and separates highly compacted materials; a de-inking screen which recognises and separates fibre grades; and the capability to increase manual intervention and quality inspections at key stages, over and the above the industry standard dependant on the material delivered.

Commenting on the MRF’s launch, Kevin Thomas, Director – MRF Operations, said: “This is a landmark day for Casepak. Our new MRF is completely bespoke in design and has been developed to meet the demands of changing collection systems at the same time ensuring we produce a quality end product.

“This is not a waste treatment facility – it’s a production process for essential materials and, as with any production process, quality is the key. Our system is based on a combination of robust screen and optical sorting technology to achieve the best possible quality output.

“Our 50-100mm bypass screen also sets us apart, he said. “We are the first MRF to import this technology from the USA. It ensures that items such as small plastic bottles and yoghurt pots that are easily squashed during the collection process are identified and separated, ensuring that they are recovered and retain their resource value. ”

The Casepak MRF has already won contracts to process materials from Blaby District Council, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council and Rutland County Council.

First plant delivery arrives at Casepak’s £21 million Leicester MRF

Casepak’s new Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) is beginning to take shape after having received its first plant delivery from the USA.Currently under construction in Leicester, this is the first of several deliveries due to arrive at the facility as the £21 million MRF nears completion. With the construction of the building envelope now finished, the facility is on track to become fully operational by September 2011.This week’s delivery saw the arrival of the facility’s specialist sorting equipment incorporating the latest plant developments from Bulk Handling Systems, of Eugene, USA. Other equipment delivered includes specialist screening for highly compacted materials; additional fibre screens to produce high quality newspapers and magazines; and dedicated optical sorting technology to produce a high quality mixed paper fraction.With a combination of automated technology and intensive manual quality control, Casepak’s MRF will be one of the most advanced facilities in the UK. It will sort mixed collections of paper, card, plastic, metal and glass and aims to recover 95 per cent of the material processed as a resource. Most of the recovered materials will also be sold to UK reprocessors for manufacture into new products and materials. Commenting on the recent delivery, Kevin Thomas, Director – MRF Operations said: “With the building envelope now complete, the site is taking great shape and most importantly without any delays. The equipment that has begun to arrive this week will be gradually installed during the summer alongside the remaining fit-out items to complete the site development.”

Once operational the new facility will initially require 50 employees, with the prospect of an additional 50 being needed as the volume of material sorted and processed increases. Casepak recently announced the launch of its recruitment campaign which is hoped will attract key employees to join the MRFs management team.Mark Smith, Joint Managing Director at Casepak said: “This is an exciting time for Casepak. With the first arrival of the plant deliveries we’re one step closer to the MRF reaching completion. Once the facility becomes fully operational it will more than double the quantity of material that Casepak can handle, as well as increase the number and type of materials that can be processed.In addition, the MRF will offer substantial pre- and post-treatment storage capacity, which will enable us to provide exceptional resource management flexibility for both the municipal and commercial and industrial (C&I) sectors. Providing additional capacity is essential if business and local communities are to increase household recycling rates above 50 per cent to meet existing legislation.Casepak was formed in 1973 as a family business. The company currently processes and sells 145,000 tonnes of paper, card and plastics each year at its Enderby facility. The volume and variety of materials processed will be greatly increased when the new MRF opens later this year, which will add a further 150,000 tonnes of processing capacity.

Casepak appoints new Director Kevin Thomas

Casepak, the fast growing recycling and waste management company, which is to open its new Leicester Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) later this year, has appointed new Director Kevin Thomas to oversee the development and operation of the new £21 million plant.

Kevin has more than 20 years’ experience in the waste management industry and joins the company from his role as Business Development Director at SCA Recycling UK where he was instrumental in the development of the company’s Southampton MRF. Prior to SCA Recycling, Kevin owned and ran his own recycling and waste management consultancy company, as well as spending time in senior operational roles with Biffa Waste Services and with SCA Recycling in the Netherlands.

As Director – MRF Operations at Casepak, Kevin will be responsible for the strategic business development of the new facility, recruiting key team members, overseeing the installation and commissioning of plant, and leading new waste contract bid teams. He will also provide direction on the development of Casepak’s new waste technology solutions.

On joining the Casepak team, Kevin said: “Recycling has never been as much of a priority on the political agenda as it currently is today. Councils are under growing pressure to meet landfill diversion targets and have the arduous task of consistently trying to improve upon current recycling rates; it’s a similar story for commercial organisations whose recycling activities are increasingly coming under closer scrutiny.

“Casepak is a company which can deliver a first class service to help local authorities and businesses alike recover waste efficiently, whilst also helping them to reduce costs. The new MRF is centrally located and has the latest optical sorting technology, which will make it a very real proposition for those seeking to improve both their waste diversion and recycling performances.

“I’m really excited to be part of Casepak’s growing team – it really is the start of a new chapter in the company’s development programme.”

Commenting on the appointment Mark Smith, Joint Managing Director at Casepak, said: “I am delighted that Kevin has joined Casepak. His recent experience in launching and managing a major multi-material recycling plant is exactly what we need. We’re really pleased to have him join the Casepak team at this important stage in the company’s development.”

Casepak begins recruitment for £21 million investment

Growing waste management and recycling company Casepak has launched a recruitment campaign to attract key industry specialists to join the management team which will run the company’s new £21 million Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Leicester. With the construction of the plant now nearing completion, the company will also be recruiting locally throughout the summer months to fill a further 20 administrative, engineering and operations positions.
The Leicester-based recycling specialist is well known throughout the Midlands for its specialist paper, card and plastics processing facility at Enderby. Here, 77 employees work to divert 145,000 tonnes of recyclable materials, collected through local authority kerbside collections and from business recycling schemes, away from landfill.
The new facility, which will become fully operational in September 2011, more than doubles the quantity of material that Casepak can handle and also increases the number and type of materials that can be processed.

The new Materials Recycling Facility is located at Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate, close to junction 21 of the M1. The first phase of recruitment, which is already underway, is focusing on the facility’s management team.

Following the appointment of Kevin Thomas to the Casepak Senior Management Team as Director – MRF Operations last month, the company is now seeking to appoint a Commercial Manager,Commercial Administrator and will shortly be advertising the positions of Production Manager, Environment and Quality Manager and Maintenance Engineer.

Once operational the new facility will initially require 50 employees, with the prospect of an additional 50 being needed as the volume of material sorted and processed increases.

Commenting on the recruitment programme, Kevin Thomas said: “After months of watching the building’s shell being constructed, we’re now very closeto becoming operational. We are looking for the very best employees to become involved in this project – people who have a real passion for recycling and understand how it is a really important part of the UK’s industrial and local authority landscape. Those individuals will be central to the success of the new MRF.

“Equally, we’re looking for individuals with a can-do approach to fill up to 20 administrative and operations positions. We are hoping that we’ll find all of this talent close to home in Leicester and are keen to hear from any individuals who have the drive and determination to be the best at what they do.”

Casepak was formed in 1973 as a family business. The company currently processes and sells 145,000 tonnes of paper, card and plastics each year at its Enderby facility. The volume and variety of materials processed will be greatly increased when the new MRF opens later this year, which will add a further 150,000 tonnes of processing capacity and enable the company to manage paper, card, mixed plastic packaging, aluminium and steel cans and glass.

Anyone interested in applying for a role at Casepak should first visit the Casepak website for a list of current vacancies, required skill sets and contact details.

Casepak wins Rutland County Council waste contract

Casepak and Rutland County Council have agreed a new five-year waste management contract which will make it easier for residents to recycle at the kerbside.

Under the new agreement, which started in April 2011, the existing mixed, fortnightly scheme will now see a wider range of materials collected. The extended service will be made available to all of the 16,000 homes in the county, increasing the council’s already excellent recycling rate which is over 55%.

The existing grey bin recycling scheme already accepted a variety of materials including: mixed glass, paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, food and drink cans, aerosols and foil. However, the contract with Casepak will now enable residents to recycle many more items including: Tetra Paks, cartons, some kitchen plastics, plastic film (e.g. carrier bags) and selected household batteries.

Strategic Director for Places at Rutland County Council, Aman Mehra said: “Casepak was selected as our preferred choice through the tendering process and was judged on method, service and quality as well as price. Our goal is always to seek the best way of improving the county’s recycling rate, whilst also offering a service that is the best value for money. Casepak offered a solution which helped us to achieve both of these goals.”

The contract with Rutland County Council is the first to move to Casepak’s new Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Leicester. The new MRF, which will become fully operational later this year, has the capacity to sort 150,000 tonnes of dry mixed recyclables a year. It uses the latest technology together with intense manual inspection to achieve the best quality resource from mixed collection schemes. Commenting on the new MRF Aman Mehra added: “Casepak’s new state of the art facility was a key selling point in awarding this contract. The MRF has the increased sorting and processing capacity the waste sector currently needs to meet rising waste diversion rates. This will ensure that our recyclables achieve the best possible resource value.”

Mark Smith, Joint Managing Director at Casepak, said: “This five-year contract with Rutland County Council offers an effective solution to the authority’s waste management needs, both environmentally and economically. In awarding this contract to Casepak, it will now be even easier for residents to recycle more items with greater efficiency at the kerbside and for that reason Rutland County Council’s excellent recycling rate looks set to continue.”

Casepak’s new MRF represents an investment of £21 million. The facility will feature the latest technology, aiming to recover 95% of the material processed as a resource. The MRF will include specialist screening for highly compacted material and additional optical fibre screens to separate newspapers and magazines. Intensive manual quality control will also be employed to ensure the best quality resource separation.

Casepak builds £21 million MRF in Leicester

Casepak is set to double in size with the announcement that it is building a new Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Leicester. With construction already underway, the new fully covered processing facility will become operational in the fourth quarter of 2011 and will have the capacity to handle 150,000 tonnes of mixed dry recyclables annually.

Using a combination of automated technology and intensive manual quality control, the MRF will sort mixed collections of paper, card, plastic, metal and glass and aims to recover 95% of the material processed as a resource. Most of the recovered materials will be sold to UK reprocessors for manufacture into new products and materials.

Centrally located in Leicester, close to the M1, the new MRF will be Casepak’s second site. The company, which was founded in 1973 and is jointly owned by G.A.E. Smith (Holdings) Ltd and SCA Recycling UK Ltd, currently has 77 employees at its facility in Enderby, Leicester, where it collects, processes and sells 145,000 tonnes of paper and plastics each year. The Enderby facility will continue to operate as normal, providing specialist paper and card recycling services, while the new plant will provide local authorities and businesses additional multi-material sorting and processing capacity.

Building on the technological expertise gained by sister company SCA Recycling following the launch of its Southampton MRF in 2009, the new Casepak facility will incorporate the latest plant developments including specialist screening for highly compacted materials; additional fibre screens to produce high quality newspapers and magazines; and dedicated optical sorting technology to produce a high quality mixed paper fraction. The plant will sort paper, card, plastic bottles, mixed plastic packaging, ferrous and non-ferrous cans and glass packaging waste.

The new development represents an investment of £21 million and will initially employ 50 people. As the amount of material handled increases, the number of employees will rise to approximately 100 working across several shifts.
Commenting on the announcement, George Smith, Chairman of Casepak, said: “This is an exciting time for Casepak. We have a reputation for professionalism and customer service, and are particularly well known for our work in the recovered fibre sector. We’ve been recycling plastics now for the last decade and developing a MRF with full multi-material capacity was the natural next step. That is now becoming a reality.

“This new facility will allow us to provide our customers with a wider waste and resource management solution for both the municipal and commercial and industrial (C&I) sectors. Providing additional capacity is essential if local authorities are to increase household recycling rates above 50% to meet existing legislation.
“We also anticipate that the much anticipated Waste Review will emphasise the need for further recycling stimulus in the C&I sector which will in itself require increased sorting and processing capacity. Our new MRF will help to meet this increased demand.”

The facility is due for completion in September and will become fully operational during the final quarter of 2011.

Casepak and SCA win Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council waste contract

Casepak, SCA Recycling and Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council have agreed a new five-year waste management contract which will help increase the area’s recycling rates.

Under the new joint agreement, beginning April 2011, Casepak and SCA Recycling will sort the materials from the existing commingled, fortnightly collection from all of the 110,000 households in Walsall. Materials collected from Walsall recycling centres and bring sites will also contribute to the 28,000 tonne per annum contract.

The contract with Walsall is just one of many earmarked for processing at Casepak’s new Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) currently under construction in Leicester. Casepak and SCA Recycling were awarded the contract following a financial and technical assessment of their bids.

Together, Casepak and SCA Recycling will aim to improve Walsall Council’s current recycling rate of 47% and help reach their proposed diversion target of 50%. In reaching this diversion target, the borough will not only benefit environmentally but also economically. Casepak’s new MRF will have the increased sorting and processing capacity and as a result Walsall will gain the best value for money for their recyclable material.

Jamie Morris, Executive Director for Neighbourhood Services at Walsall Council, said: “We welcome this new partnership which will help us to further improve our already very successful track record in recycling across the borough.”

The new contract supports the current recycling collection methods used by Walsall. The council currently accepts: plastic, cardboard, newspapers and magazines, cans and tins, and glass bottles and jars. The Casepak MRF processes all of these materials, so ensuring a smooth transition between sorting arrangements.

Mark Smith, Joint Managing Director at Casepak, said: “This five-year contract with Walsall Council offers an effective solution to the council’s waste management needs, both environmentally and economically. We look forward to working with Walsall over the next five years.”

The new Casepak MRF facility is due for completion in September and will become fully operational during the final quarter of 2011. The MRF represents an investment of £21 million and the facility will feature the latest technology aiming to recover 95% of the material processed as a resource. The MRF will include specialist screening for highly compacted material and additional optical fibre screens to separate newspapers and magazines. Intensive manual quality control will also be employed to ensure the best quality resource separation.