Beatson Clark plans cullet recycling facility

Simeon Goldstein, packagingnews.co.uk, 16 March 2009

 

Beatson Clark is looking to build a recycling facility at its Rotherham plant to help improve the amount of recovered cullet used in the production of new glass bottles.

 

Beatson Clark sales and marketing director Lynn Sidebottom said the company had difficulty in getting the good quality recycled cullet it needed to produce new white and amber containers.

 

The firm's target is for 60% recycled material in amber glass and 50% for white flint, and building the recycling facility enables it to better harness local supply. "It makes sure local glass comes back to the glass works," said Sidebottom.

 

Using glass cullet in the manufacturing process helps reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, but the plant doesn't process mixed glass. "If the glass is not separated it ends up going into aggregates," she said.

 

Beatson Clark, which has already submitted a planning application for the recycling facility, is also in the process of installing a new clear glass production line at the plant.

 

The £2m investment, which will boost capacity by 75 million units, includes an eight-section, double-gob IS machine with inspection units to ensure the quality of the containers.

 

The firm said the new machine would enable it to produce containers of "virtually any shape and size" and create new permanent positions for up to 15 of its temporary staff.