Tennessee plastics recycler expands operations

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty, along with officials of plastics recycling company Allied Reprocessing recently held an open house at a new Allied facility in Ripley, Tenn. The company’s original building was destroyed by a fire in November of 2012.

The company is likely to invest $1.1 million and create 31 new jobs because of the expansion. “After some long days of planning and lots of hard work, we are growing and open to business,” said Will Douglas, owner of Allied Reprocessing. With $2 million already invested in equipment and infrastructure, Douglas says he plans to invest another $1 million during the next 12 months.

With the expanded facility the company expects to recycle 25 million pounds of plastic (12,500 tons) per year. Prior to the fire, Allied was able to recycle around 10 million pounds of plastic per year, according to Douglas.

As part of the expansion, the company has added new lines to process lightweight materials such as foam and film. Douglas says he also is considering buying equipment that will allow Allied Reprocessing to sort plastics by color and polymer.

“A keystone of Governor Haslam’s Jobs4TN strategy is investing in incumbent businesses,” Hagerty says. “Located in the heart of the nation’s distribution center, Allied Reprocessing can take advantage of our state’s exemplary logistical infrastructure, providing services through the Southeast. I am pleased Allied Reprocessing is reinvesting in Tennessee and creating valuable new jobs for the community.”

Allied Reprocessing started in 2009 and specializes in separating chrome-plated polymer parts and reprocessing them into reusable pellet materials for automotive suppliers. The company also focuses on removing, pulverizing, separating and re-pelletizing industrial plastics.

The expansion project will allow the company to add new lines to process agricultural plastic scrap, such as cotton bale wrap, and to separate mixed plastics.