Brisbane investors buy recycling business

Queensland Recycling Technologies (QRT), a joint venture between Alceon Qld and Brisbane Recycling Consortium (BRC), has purchased the recycling business assets of a prominent private company based in Eagle Farm with a view to create a state-of-the-art recycling and resource recovery processing plant on the doorstep of Brisbane CBD.

The previous ownership ran an established recycling and resource recovery business primarily focusing on construction and demolition (C&D) waste. It has been family owned and run since 1996, with operations across quarrying, earthmoving, civil works, plant and equipment hire and trading, logistics and mobile crushing throughout Queensland.

The sale involves the recycling components of the business and three additional properties, including two additional commercial waste recycling transfer stations at Pinkenba in inner north Brisbane (totalling 12 ha) and a river sand quarry at Waterford in the outer south of Brisbane with a land area of in excess of 25 ha.

Headquartered at Pinkenba, Brisbane, QRT is headed up by Alceon Qld’s Todd Pepper and BRC’s Ed Bull, both experienced property and investment operators. The new owners have rebranded their new business to Rino and appointing experienced turnaround specialist Daniel Blaser as General Manager of the three-site business, with Richard Jacobitz joining as Chief Financial Officer.

“The introduction of the Queensland landfill levy, improved recycling processing technologies and a genuine need for sustainable options in this industry has already increased competitiveness of recycling for waste disposal,” Bull said.

“Queensland has very low recycling recovery rates compared to the southern states, which have had landfill levies in place for much longer and as a result have much more mature recycling industries. There is much room for improvement, development and smart management and investment.

“With a 25-year and almost $65 billion pipeline of infrastructure development planned for Brisbane, including major works such as Queens Wharf, Cross River Rail, Brisbane Metro, Brisbane Live and more, the demand for considered, cost-effective C&D waste is only set to rise.”

Pepper said a significant capital investment would turn the business into a market leader in the recovery of waste that would have otherwise ended up in landfill.

“Our planned investment in people, plant and technology will futureproof the business well into this century,” he said.

“QRT intends to invest significant capital into increasing the recovery rate of the business, improving the quality of recovered products for resale and reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill.

“The recycling and resource recovery industry is starting to be recognised as key ‘infrastructure’ and will be pivotal in growing the circular economy of the future. It is our responsibility as business owners and investors to ensure the environmental sustainability and safety of the business is a priority. It makes for strong, ethical, long-term business investment.”

For more information on the rebranded business, visit rinorecycling.com.au.

Image caption: QRT Directors Ed Bull and Todd Pepper. Image credit: Pete Wallis.