Pennon Group Acquires JWT Holding

Viridor Waste Management, a subsidiary of Pennon Group Plc, has acquired the waste management firm JWT Holdings Ltd., Greater Manchester, U.K., for £7.60 million. According to Pennon, the acquisition is in line with the company’s strategy of expanding its waste management activities, particularly in the collection, recycling and energy recovery sectors.

JWT has 45 employees and handles around 70,000 metric tons of material per year. The company has a MRF and a fleet of 29 vehicles which will be integrated into Viridor's northern region, complementing the collection services of Viridor’s Trafford Park operations.

Commenting on the acquisition, Colin Drummond, Viridor’s CEO, says, "The acquisition of JWT provides excellent synergies with Viridor's existing activities in Manchester and across the North West. It complements other recent acquisitions in the region and Viridor's development of the UK's largest waste fired Combined Heat and Power facility at Runcorn, the first phase of which will be operational in 2013.  The acquisition is expected to be earnings enhancing in its first full year."