Scrap metal recycler S. Norton (Liverpool / UK; www.s-norton.com) has acquired recyclates producer Axion Recycling (Stockport / UK; www.axiongroup.co.uk) from its private owners for an undisclosed sum. Axion Recycling, founded in 2002 by directors Keith Freegard and Roger Morton, as well as business units Axion Polymers and Axion Consulting are now wholly-owned subsidiaries of the S. Norton group.

Freegard has resigned from the company but will work for S. Norton on a part-time consultancy basis for the next 12 months, while Morton will continue as director with Axion. The rest of the management team at Axion Polymers will remain unchanged and Axion Consulting staff will continue with business as usual on all projects and service contracts. Axion Recycling employs around 90 staff.

S. Norton, which claims to process 1.5m t of scrap metal annually and last year posted a pre-tax profit of GBP 24m (EUR 27m) on turnover of GBP 205m (EUR 232m), said the company would trade under the same name and all contracts would remain in place.

In January this year Freegard said Axion soon hoped to be able to add a series of new grades to its ABS range and said further investment would be made in staff and product development “over the coming months” – see Plasteurope.com of 12.01.2018.

Axion converts non-metallic waste from end-of-life vehicles and electronics into recycled plastics, recycled aggregates for construction and solid recovered fuels to supply plants generating energy from waste. It operates two plants in the Manchester area, with materials separation and recovery taking place at Trafford Park and polymer reprocessing and extrusion at Salford. Its recyclate products include rABS, rPP and rPS pellets sold under the “Axpoly” brand, as well as “Axplas” recycled mixed engineering plastic chips.