Reportedly drawn by the prospect of the jobs and sustainable production Veka Recycling is bringing to Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, local politicians made a visit to the company’s new headquarters to learn more about one of the area’s newest employers.
The town’s Member of Parliament, Peter Bone, accompanied by Northamptonshire County Councillor, Gill Mercer, visited Veka Recycling’s new site, which was established on the town’s Finedon Road industrial estate early in 2019. During the visit they learned how the plant is to become the most advanced of its type in Europe when it comes fully on stream next year.
Simon Scholes, Veka Recycling’s managing director, who found the site and is responsible for its development, showed the politicians how old PVC-U window and doorframes together with virgin offcuts, are re-processed at the plant and recycled into new products, including new window frames. Whilst currently operational with a process that reduces frames and other component materials into reusable polymer for a wide range of uses, some refinement of materials continues to be dealt with by Veka Recycling’s other plants in Germany and France.
By the end of the year, the plant will significantly add to the processing capacity of Veka Recycling Group, Europe’s largest PVC window recycler, which is already in excess of 60,000 tonnes annually, representing more than 3.5 million windows. With an investment expected to exceed £10 million when completed, the Wellingborough factory will be self-sufficient by the middle of next year.
Simon explained that Wellingborough was chosen for its central location, telling the visitors that the site ‘fits the bill perfectly’. With 60 people employed currently, more jobs will be created when Veka Recycling goes fully on line. The MP, a Conservative and dedicated Brexiteer, was said to be delighted to hear that Veka Recycling’s German owners were committed to investment in the UK, irrespective of the outcome of Brexit, commenting: “I actually think that these Brexit problems are non-existent.”
