AWM plant to help group close in on target

The Bradford-based firm, which has more than trebled in size in the last three years, said the new £12.5m waste recycling plant at Gelderd Road in Morley would create up to 50 new jobs once it reaches capacity. Shadow Chancellor and Morley and Outwood MP Ed Balls officially opened the building, which will be capable of processing over 200,000 tonnes of waste following new contract wins with Calderdale, Bradford and Leeds councils.

AWM provides waste management, recycling and energy from waste services to companies throughout West and North Yorkshire and on the M62 corridor between Halifax and Selby.

The company, which was formed in 2000 by John Brooksbank, has expanded from 35 employees to 160 in the last three years through organic growth and strategic acquisitions of other waste and recycling companies, including Just Recycling Group, Aero Waste Disposal and Leeds Environmental Organisa- tion.

The company handles in excess of 320,000 tonnes of waste, with around 25 per cent currently heading to landfill. AWM believes it can reduce this figure to less than five per cent through its new investment.

The new plant will help AWM to work towards zero waste to landfill through improved recovery of recyclables and by diverting organic matter to be composted. It will also convert residues currently going to landfill into refuse derived fuel which can go on to power energy from waste plants and power stations both in the UK and overseas.

The new site also means that AWM will be responsible for recycling household waste from approximately 250,000 houses across the region.