Duclo injects significant funding to increase plastic recycling capabilities

Duclo Recycling has injected fresh capital into the business to increase capacity in the recovery and recycling of plastic packaging.

The Leeds-based company, which is part of the Duo Packaging Group, has invested more than £160,000 in brand new manufacturing capabilities. This involves a new EREMA laser filter, which will work as part an existing EREMA pelletiser, to allow the company to further increase process efficiencies in the removal of any contaminants from recycled plastic material.

The high-performance filtration system will enable Duclo to remove any present contaminants faster and as a result produce cleaner recycled plastic pellets, which will be used in the creation of new recycled plastic packaging products. This prevents more end-of-use material going to waste, keeping it within closed-loop recycling streams and reducing the reliance on virgin resources.

The funding follows an initial £3 million investment in the set-up of business in October 2022 and forms part of an ambitious growth strategy. This includes the creation of eight new jobs at the company’s Stourton-based warehouse this year, which includes a dry recycling facility and wash plant and water treatment system to process post-consumer plastic waste.

Anthony Brimelow, group commercial director, commented: “In less than two years, the company has gone from a standing start to recycling around 7,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year. Our aim is to double this by investing significantly in technology, our people, and the processes that allow us to improve how much post-consumer plastic content is recycled.

“There is a growing need for recycled plastic pellets for use in packaging – not just in Yorkshire, but across the UK, as brands look to find ways to reduce their reliance on virgin plastic materials. Demand is likely to grow as the UK strives towards a circular economy and businesses continue to enhance environmental performance to satisfy consumer demands for sustainability and legislative requirements. As such, we’ll continue to invest in Duclo’s capabilities to grow our capacity and ability to produce consistently high quality recycled plastic pellets for manufacturers to use in new packaging products.”