Axion plant attracts visit from UK Parliament member

United Kingdom-based plastics recycler Axion Polymers says the waste management and recycling sector is attracting more young workers seeking practical experience for a skilled career versus academic studies, and the company made this point when a member of the U.K. parliament visited its end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recycling plant.

 

Kate Green a member of parliament (MP), toured Axion’s Manchester, England, (ELV) recycling plant in March.

 

In the months prior to the visit, Axion Polymers says it has taken on three apprentices, including “one long-term unemployed [person] and two who wanted to gain practical work experience.” It also has recruited eight additional staff members, including chemical engineering placement students and technicians, to work at its Shredder Waste Advanced Processing Plant (SWAPP) at Trafford Park, Manchester.

 

The multi-million-dollar plant separates nonmetallic fractions from automotive shredder residue (ASR) to produce recycled plastics, materials for the construction industry and fuel to substitute coal. Axion says the plant is capable of meeting the European Union’s goal of 95 percent recycling and recovery of materials from end-of-life vehicles goal. 

 

The tour was the second one for MP Green, who had visited the SWAPP site 18 months earlier. During her second tour, Green was hosted by Axion Polymers’ Technical Operations Manager Mike Bennett, Production Manager Paul Foy, Project Engineer Uchenna Onwuamaegbu and Lab Assistant Simon Davidson, who had joined as an apprentice.

 

“Kate was clearly impressed with our progress, commitment to training young people and the range of products that can be produced with innovative processing techniques,” says Bennett.

 

Says Green, “I really enjoyed visiting Axion again to see the fabulous progress made at the SWAPP plant since my last visit. I was very pleased to meet the new apprentices and learn that Axion has recruited more staff to cope with demand. The plant is certainly going from strength to strength, and it’s great to see such a thriving local business in Trafford.”

 

Axion Director Roger Morton says the investment in Axion’s technological capabilities and expertise is essential given the growth in manufacturing returning to the U.K. and greater sustainability in the flourishing vehicle manufacturing sector.

 

“Vehicle production in the U.K. is at record levels, and this creates opportunities for supplying sustainable recycled materials – both plastics and metals – for components in new vehicles, as well as creating skilled jobs in our industry,” says Morton.

 

“Innovation is inspiring young people to consider careers in the resource recovery sector, and we are seeing big changes in attitudes,” he continues. “We’re attracting highly motivated apprentices who have joined us as an alternative to university and the training process is working really well for all.”