A £20m Corby recycling plant has officially opened, creating more than 30 local jobs and adding capacity to process 38,000 tonnes of plastic packaging a year.
Eurokey, part of recycling and resource management group Reconomy, operates the 138,000 sq ft facility. It will process packaging collected from supermarkets, retailers and grocers, turning used material into pellets for new packaging.
The investment links two stages of the recycling process within Northamptonshire. Eurokey sorts plastic packaging at its Kettering facility before sending the separated material to Corby for washing and reprocessing.
UK packaging manufacturers then use the pellets to make packaging for brands supplying supermarkets. The material comes from packaging used to protect and transport goods through the supply chain before they reach shop shelves.
Reconomy says the Corby recycling plant will give retailers more scope to recycle this material domestically, reducing reliance on overseas processing and increasing the UK supply of recycled plastic.
The opening comes as UK plastics recyclers face pressure from energy costs and competition from cheaper virgin materials. The British Plastics Federation has warned that closures have removed substantial processing capacity from the sector. bpf.co.uk
Guy Wakeley, chief executive of Reconomy, said: “This is a major milestone for our business and the UK’s plastics recycling industry, which has faced significant headwinds in recent years. The facility will play a critical role in increasing domestic recycling capacity and reducing reliance on virgin plastic. We are delighted to have created new local jobs and look forward to helping our customers keep high-quality plastic packaging in circulation.”
Reconomy first announced the investment in March, when it said the facility would become fully operational in the second half of 2026. The annual processing figure represents its capacity at full operation. reconomy.com
Zubair Bajwa, operations director at Eurokey, said: “We are proud to strengthen the UK’s plastics recycling industry at this critical time. For over 30 years, our business has been at the forefront of helping leading UK supermarkets and retailers maximise the recycling potential of their plastic packaging. Our new Corby facility strengthens our capabilities and will enable us to deliver even better outcomes for our customers and help them contribute to the circular economy.”
