A highly successful and family-operated waste management company in Renfrewshire plans a major expansion.

FAMILY-OWNED WRC Recycling, the Renfrewshire recycling and waste management company, has revealed ambitious plans for growth via acquisition as it cements its position as one of the UK’s leading players in an industry that is becoming increasingly important as the country accelerates its transition to net zero.

The Inchinnan-based company, which has grown from humble beginnings to a £15 million-turnover business – and is owned by Robert and Carole Capper, son Robert Capper jnr and Brian Capper – invested in the region of £6 million in its modern recycling centre and head office in 2017.

It is now currently investing a further £4 million in a new construction and demolition (C&D) waste plant on the site.

Supported by a £500,000 grant from Scottish Enterprise, the Kiverco plant is due for completion later this summer and will allow the business to handle a greater volume of material on-site while recovering a higher-quality recyclable product for onward processing.

From recycling wheelie bins and the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) piping used in salmon farming, to skip hire and confidential paper shredding, the business of recycling is complex and varied as Managing Director Robert Capper jnr points out.

As a one-stop shop for recycling, waste management and offering “cradle to grave” recycling and bespoke solutions to companies across the UK, Ireland and Europe, WRC Recycling has ambitious growth aspirations which Mr Capper says will be achieved via acquisitions in Scotland.

“Although we only moved to Inchinnan five years ago, we’re nearing capacity there so we are now on the acquisition trail,” he confirms. “Our turnover was £8.4m when we left Johnstone and turnover this year is projected at £15m – we’re predicting steady growth over the next five to 10 years.”

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Mr Capper attributes a family atmosphere to the success of WRC, where each member of staff is seen as extended family. “We are a small team that are all committed to achieving the same goal.

“It’s very much a family affair and team effort,” he says, crediting his parents Robert and Carole and uncle Brian Capper for encouraging him.

Brian Capper, meanwhile, points to the company’s long-term vision: “Since our inception in 1998, the family has always had a long-term vision of where we wanted WRC to go in the years following, and there is no doubt that the recycling landscape has fast become instrumental in Scotland’s infrastructure as we progress toward a circular economy,” he says.

“Our ability to adapt to frequent changes in environmental legislation, along with our passion for better and more efficient recycling, has led us to where we are today, and we have no plans to slow down in the near future. We’re always looking for our next investment, whether that be a new plant, machinery, or new roles in the business – we know the value that well-thought-out investments can bring to a business like WRC.”

As the firm prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary next year, Mr Capper reflects on how it all started back in 1998. Beef and arable farmers who came over to Scotland from Northern Ireland when Robert was just seven, the Cappers’ entrepreneurial flair brushed off on their young son who developed a strong work ethic and “just rolled up his sleeves and got on with whatever needed to be done”.

“On the farm in Houston growing up, Robert’s mum Carole offered a bed and breakfast service from the farm and the owners of a recycling business stayed at the farm for B&B. They were tired of commuting to Linwood and offered the family the opportunity to buy the business for £100,000. It was the obvious thing to do as it was a good add-on to the farm,” Mr Capper explains.

“It was operating from a rented shed in Linwood until 2002, and when we outgrew that, we moved to a former demolition yard in Johnstone. We stayed in Johnstone for 12 years until we outgrew that site, leading to our relocation to Inchinnan.”

A tour of the state-of-the-art premises at Inchinnan shines a spotlight on how this forward-thinking business is establishing itself as a market leader.

“People are much more aware of the importance of recycling and we are very much at the forefront of raising that public perception,” says Mr Capper, explaining that a learning day next month will see the company open its doors to local dignitaries, customers stakeholders who have been invited to find out more about WRC Recycling and its plans for the future – and learn about recycling and waste management in general.

“We are keen to show Renfrewshire’s politicians, our customers and stakeholders that we play a key role in the local economy as a responsible employer and are a company with ambitious growth aspirations. Our employee figures have increased by 80% since we moved here in 2017 and we are taking on more staff as a result of the investment in our new C&D waste plant – we have a staff of about 60 at the moment.

“It will handle all types of construction and demolition waste, and we’re already the biggest processor of uPVC window frames in Scotland,” said Mr Capper, adding that the investment will help to further divert waste from landfill and demonstrates the firm’s commitment to working with partners such as Zero Waste Scotland to achieve a zero-waste society with a circular economy.

“The Scottish Government has set targets so we are preparing for new regulations that will affect our industry,” he said. “We are working with Zero Waste Scotland and other partners, and are committed to investing in new technologies to achieve these goals.

“Our previous waste management license allowed us to handle 22,575 tonnes of material. However, our new license, which has been in place since January, allows us to process 75,000 tonnes – enabling us to process 90% more construction and demolition material in-house.

“This is a crucial investment for our business at a time when our industry is rapidly changing and the dial is being turned up on Scotland’s move to a circular economy.”

With another division of the business, Gryffeside Developments, specialising in building quality homes in rural locations, often restoring farm steadings and retaining as many original features as possible, Mr Capper is blatantly aware of the need to divert building waste from landfill.

WRC’s general manager, Colin Blakely, says that the firm is “taking recycling and waste management to the next level” with its new C&D plant: “Future developments will see the business adapt around new technology which means that we will require skilled people to join our company – getting good people in our industry is a challenge but our reputation in the industry will help us recruit the right people.”

www.wrcrecycling.co.uk