A major Perthshire waste management group said it was on track to become a leading player in Europe’s emerging “circular economy” yesterday as it outlined its business strategy.
Glenfarg-based Binn Skips (Binnwaste Management) Ltd revealed its new Binn Group identity to business leaders at the Perth Show and said its rebrand had come about as a result of significant changes to the waste-management industry.
Group CEO Allan McGregor, who founded the business as a skip-hire firm with his father John more than 20 years ago, said the sector was constantly evolving.
“We recognise the waste industry is changing rapidly and we will eventually become commodity traders and fuel suppliers as a result of our waste collection, processing and recycling operations,” said Mr McGregor.
“Waste is no longer something that goes to landfill it is a valuable resource, and the country is investing tens of millions of pounds in recycling systems and waste-to-energy plants which will generate electricity for the national grid and renewable fuel for biomass boilers.
“Binn Group recognises the change in dynamic from our early days in business, and the need for change to develop and structure our business to meet these ongoing requirements in the industry.
“In conjunction with our waste business, the Binn Eco Park concept will help us deliver on the drive towards the circular economy.
“By linking resource management, renewable energy production, food production and manufacturing from our recycled materials, Binn will become one of the most advanced and integrated demonstrations of the circular economy in Europe.”
The group employs around 100 staff at its base at Binn Farm, and its long-term ambition is to have manufacturers based within the Eco Park development who can reprocess waste on-site into usable new materials and goods on-site.
Mr McGregor said waste regulations introduced in 2012 had changed the industry landscape.
His firm fully supported Scottish Government targets to have a maximum of only 5% of waste going to landfill by 2025, 25% recovered through composting or energy recovery, and 70% of all waste produced in Scotland being recycled.
He said Binn Group was also committed to helping achieve a 40% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020.
“Sustainable and progressive waste management is crucial to Scotland’s ambitious but achievable carbon-reduction programme,” he said. “Binn Group wants to be influencing change and spearheading initiatives to meet that goal.
“Businesses are beginning to take sustainability seriously, and rebranding gives us the opportunity to take our vision to the wider business community and beyond.”