Sackers
Sackers, a scrap metal recycling firm based in the U.K., has appointed a new chairman to support the business with its growth plans.
Chris Gray will step up as chairman of Sackers. According to a news release from Sackers, Gray has knowledge of shipping, ports and the transportation industry. He has more than 50 years of experience in the sector combined with business knowledge.
Previously, Gray was managing director of Contship UK Ltd. and deputy managing director of Contship Containerlines Ltd. He also was CEO of Hutchison Ports UK Ltd. and Hutchison Ports Bahamas and chairman of the UK Major Ports Group. He was executive chairman of the Noatum Ports Group of Cos. Sackers says he is currently nonexecutive director of Red Funnel Ltd. and Red Funnel Holdings Ltd. and strategic advisor to Turia Port Management Investment (Holdings). He also is chairman of Tex Holdings Plc.
Sackers focuses on processing scrap metal and sorting it into purer groups within the ferrous and nonferrous categories, and the goods are sold for recycling to manufacturers. The company sells its materials internationally to destinations such as India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Hong Kong as well as to European Union destinations, such as France, Spain and Belgium.
Sackers says it has invested heavily in the circular economy over the last decade, with a 3 million pound (or about $3.86 million) investment in a steel shredding plant, shredding items such as whole cars and airplanes. The company also invested 1 million pounds (or about $1.29 million) in a copper cable granulating plant. Sackers says these investments have enabled the company to directly export all its products from raw material to product back to the producer.
“We’ve been exporting for about 20 years and initially it was small scale but over the years it’s become a large part of our business," Sackers Joint Managing Director David Dodd says. "Chris is highly experienced in logistics and shipping and will bring us his industry knowledge to give us a competitive edge. He also brings huge amounts of business acumen and this is evident in some of the large corporations he has, and still does work for. We are very pleased to have Chris advise and strengthen the Sackers leadership team and his assistance to ‘navigate the ship’ towards our growth plans.”
“Sackers is a sound business which is evident from riding COVID and many recessions," Gray says. "I’m honored to be asked to be chairman to help them with the next steps of growth. There’s lots of opportunities which I’m keen to help with and add new knowledge to the board."