Axion Polymers’ plastics recycling process impresses MP
Innovative and complex processes used to extract plastics from end-of-life vehicles impressed a local MP during a tour of Axion Polymers’ Salford recycling plant in March.
Rebecca Long Bailey, MP for Salford and Eccles and Shadow Treasury Minister met production staff and was shown around the site by Axion Director Roger Morton and Commercial Operations Manager Steve Bell.
During her hour-long visit she learnt how Axpoly® recycled polymers, derived from automotive (vehicle shredder residue) and electrical end-of-life feedstocks, are extracted and processed for use in variety of new items, from drainage and ventilation products to vehicle components.
Opened in 2006, the Salford advanced processing plant upgrades plastic extracted from end-of-life vehicles at Axion’s nearby Trafford Park facility. More than 40 people, mostly from the Salford area, are employed at the two sites, which have undergone substantial investment in recent years.
This includes new plant and laboratory facilities that are driving growth and expanding Axion Polymers’ technical capability in supplying tailored polymers to suit specific end-user requirements, such as modified melt flow, impact resistance and tensile strength.
Rebecca commented: “I never realised now much skill and technology was involved in tackling such a difficult waste stream. In recovering these valuable resources, Axion’s growing business contributes environmental, economic and employment benefits. That’s great news all round!”
With full order books for the foreseeable future, Axion’s growth is being driven by higher levels of feedstock due to increased vehicle recycling coupled with rising demand from customers who have requirements to meet corporate sustainability goals through using recycled content in new products.
Steve said: “Rebecca was impressed with our success in overcoming specific challenges to recycle a complex waste stream that previously would have been landfilled but is now a useful raw material resource.”
Roger added: “Resource recovery businesses such as ours have an important role to play in the transition to a Circular Economy. Rebecca was very interested to learn about our developments at Salford and recruitment of a significant number of local people, including graduates from Manchester and Birmingham Universities.”
Axion Polymers is part of the Axion Group that develops and operates innovative resource recovery and processing solutions for recycling waste materials. The Group works with a wide range of clients within the recycling and process industries on the practical development of new processing and collection methods.