UK Enterprise Awards 2021

64 | UK Enterprise Awards 2021 Jun21205 Metal & Waste Recycling Company of the Year 2021 Based in Wales, specialist waste management company SL Recycling provides an extensive range of recycling, waste processing and skip hire facilities and services to the region. We speak to Founder, Stacey Lewis, about the grassroots company and how it is poised for further growth and success. SL Recycling is a family-run business specialising in total waste management services and metal recycling and it is fast becoming the market leader in its sector in South Wales. Founded in 2016 by Director, Stacey Lewis, SL Recycling began with a site at Ystrad Mynach which acted as a scrap yard. From purchasing metals from manufacturers, Stacey quickly discovered a gap in the market as these customers wanted a one-stop-shop: a reliable company that would handle all their waste and metal needs. “Customers wanted one point of contact, clear paper trails, high standards of service, compliance, and most importantly, a fair price – but no one could offer it all,” Stacey explains. “SL Recycling now fulfils those wishes, presenting a comprehensive metal & waste management service meeting the criteria of customers.” Through investing more than £10 million in equipment, machinery, infrastructure, vehicles and skips, and through expansion of the team, the Ystard Mynach scrap yard has become a Waste Transfer Station and a newer site, a Material Recovery Facility at Pontypool, has enabled SL Recycling to take on a large portfolio of customers from a variety of sectors across South Wales. “Having our own facilities allows us to effectively control our own cost base and therefore provide market leading prices,” Stacey elaborates, explaining the company’s unique selling points and what it is that distinguishes it from competitors. “All of the waste produced from our customers’ sites is collected on our own fleet of vehicles, eliminating the demand on third party haulage which both reduces cost and the chance of something going wrong, whether this be failed collections or legal compliance. “We also provide exemplary service to support our main contracts, which require rapid and reliable response, compliance with detailed ISO and quality procedures, and high standards of health and safety.” The clientele that SL Recycling serves is vast and varied, consisting of a range from the general manufacturing, food and drink, engineering, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, automotive and scrap metal industries. “We are proud waste management and environmental service providers to a growing portfolio of clients from a wide range of manufacturing sectors,” Stacey says. “We offer industry wide services with unbeaten customer service and rates, ensuring our clients are supported and receive high rebates. Our recycling experts have years’ experience processing a variety of metal and waste materials and offer a plethora of specialised services and expertise. We strive to deliver maximum value for customers from their scrap metal, whatever your business size.” It’s not all about the product and pricing structure however and Stacey is quick to sing the praises of the dedicated and hardworking team that supports SL Recycling every day. “SL’s success is down to the people who have helped shape the market-leading recycling company that we are today,” she enthuses. “These are people with passion, who care about what they do. Our business thrives on entrepreneurial self-starters who are open- minded and enthusiastic; bright people, who do what they say they will do. We appreciate those who are willing to try new things and learn from their mistakes. We prefer straight-talking people who are self-assured and can give and take constructive feedback.” Due to most of SL Recycling’s customer base shutting down when the Covid-19 pandemic first hit, the company unfortunately had to furlough around 80% of the work force for around two months. Stacey and the team also saw delays in skip and machine deliveries, which inevitably meant a delay of contract roll outs for customers. “We are still experiencing the effects of Covid-19 with delayed applications to NRW and longer waiting times on skip fabrications,” she states. “Although operations and contract roll outs were delayed at the start of the outbreak, we have been lucky enough to continue operations and open a second site during the pandemic.” Regarding the future, Stacey and the team have big plans for future success. Having invested more than £5 million in the new Pontypool Materials Recovery Facility, SL Recycling has really maximised its waste recycling and processing for South Wales. From skip hire to its own expanding fleet of vehicles, SL Recycling is undertaking new and exciting endeavours all with the aim of aiding our clients and their waste management. “From our humble beginnings, we had aspirational views of future expansion and progression to broaden our offering while maintaining our values. We now proudly offer the total package of waste management through in-house processing, skip hire, recycling, consultancy and much more. Where before we used to broker out contracts, we now have control over costs, ensuring our customers get the best deal. “We will continue to invest in infrastructure and people with the aim to grow our customer base through-out South Wales and eventually further afield.”