New Kiverco-McKinstry Deal sets benchmark for Northern Ireland’s Recycling Future

A major new contract has been announced between two Northern Ireland-based companies operating within the waste management sector, marking a new era that will set the standard for the future of Construction, Demolition and Industrial waste recycling in the UK and Ireland.  

McKinstry Group, a waste management company based in Co Antrim has awarded Co Tyrone-based company Kiverco Ltd a contract to design, manufacture and install a new recycling plant at their main facility in Co Antrim. This is the largest and most advanced facility of its kind in the UK and Ireland and is a transformational change for the waste management sector in the region.

This announcement marks a significant new era for the McKinstry Group, which has grown from a small family business to being one of the largest waste processing operations in Northern Ireland. The project, valued at around £16 million, will include substantial investments in groundworks and the construction of a new building to house the recycling plant.

For McKinstry Group, key to the success of the project was finding a trusted partner to help design and develop a cutting-edge, future-proof facility to align with the company’s aspirations. Having carried out extensive research across the UK and Ireland, they found the perfect partner right on their doorstep, in Northern Ireland. Kiverco is a leading recycling solutions provider, based in Dungannon, and is renowned worldwide for manufacturing the world’s toughest recycling plant. With over 400 plant installations globally, Kiverco is the leading provider of Construction, Demolition and & Industrial (C,D&I) recycling solutions in the UK, and has recently rapidly progressed its expansion into export markets such as the Middle East and Australia. In 2023, Kiverco expanded its manufacturing facility to 40,000 sq ft, doubling production capacity and enabling the company to meet ambitious growth plans.

Both companies are family-owned businesses, with a culture of innovation and sustainability at their core. Having already worked together on previous projects over a 10 year period, McKinstry and Kiverco embarked on a 2-year collaboration on this project with a goal to ensure their new C,D&I facility was the best of its kind. This involved extensive research into new technological advancements in the industry, site visits across Europe to identify best-practice facilities, materials testing, and numerous design lay-outs. The result is a futureproof state-of-the-art recycling plant, which will undoubtedly become the flagship facility of its kind in the UK and Ireland.   

Speaking about the new project, Darren McKinstry, Managing Director of McKinstry Group, said ‘We have been working on this project for several years now and are confident that we have found the right partner to deliver a class-leading materials recycling plant fit for the future. Kiverco’s reputation within the recycling industry is unsurpassed, they are industry-renowned for manufacturing robust plant that is tough and built to last.  Throughout our time working together on this project, Kiverco’s determination to ensure our new recycling plant is as technologically advanced as possible, as well as meeting the key objectives of our business, has been impressive.

Bank Of Ireland has shown great dedication to this project, and with their support we have been able to commit to a £16 million investment, which will provide capacity for major growth alongside making a positive environmental impact on the region’s waste management sector.’

According to Kiverco Sales Manager, JP Devlin, who has been committed to the project since initial discussions began nearly 5 years ago. ‘McKinstry and Kiverco share the same values – we take pride in our work, and honesty and respect at are the core of everything we do. Kiverco wholeheartedly embraced this project, we considered every aspect of the plant design to ensure it was the best, most technologically advanced plant of its kind. Many of the technologies integrated into this plant design have never been used before in the UK and Ireland. In addition we incorporated some of the digital technologies we have been advancing within our business, such as remote plant performance management and automated maintenance alerts – it really is the first of its kind.’

Kiverco’s Managing Director John Irwin said ‘We can’t overstate the importance of this new facility on our doorstep here in Northern Ireland. Kiverco has a strong reputation in the industry for installing large bespoke static plants in UK, Ireland and in international markets, and to secure this contract for such an impressive facility here in County Antrim is transformational for the waste management sector. Not only will this become a flagship plant for Kiverco, but the investment will ensure continued environmental progress within the sustainability sector for both McKinstry Group and Kiverco – something which is incredibly important to both businesses. We are hugely proud of the partnership we have developed, and the key role we play in cleaning up the world’s waste, reducing environmental impact, and contributing to a cleaner, circular economy.

The preparation works are already underway for the new plant, with groundworks and the construction of the new shed already taking place. Installation of the plant will commence in September this year with final commission planned for December 2025.