Waste recycling specialist Biffa (High Wycombe / UK; www.biffa.co.uk) has bought O’Brien Waste Recycling Solutions (WRS, Wallsend / UK; www.obrienwaste.co.uk) for GBP 32.5m (EUR 35.3m). Biffa could pay a further GBP 0.9m subject to certain conditions being met. The acquisition is expected to enhance earnings for the group, with immediate effect.

O’Brien WRS’ waste collection business generates revenues of around GBP 21m and will be incorporated into Biffa’s existing Industrial & Commercial collection business. Its recycling and waste treatment operation will be incorporated into Biffa’s Resource Recovery and Treatment divisions.

Ian Wakelin, Biffa’s chief executive said, the deal significantly strengthened the company’s market presence in the North East England. O’Brien WRS managing director Nathan O’Brien said the opportunity to join Biffa was a “natural choice” for the business due to its scale, UK-wide network and complementary capabilities.

Meanwhile, Wilton-based Biffa Polymers recently acquired six flexible silos from Genesis Process Solutions (Sandbach / UK; www.genesisps.co.uk) as part of a new production line installed earlier this year. Each silo, measuring nearly seven metres high, has a capacity of 28,000 t. In 2016, Biffa Polymers invested in a rHDPE line in Cleveland / UK – see Plasteurope.com of 27.04.2016.

Martin Brass, Biffa’s engineering project manager at the Wilton site, said opting for a new bulk system using the flexible storage system from Genesis “was one of the easiest decisions that we needed to make.”