Highlander aims for more of foreign recycling

GUILLOTINES played a key role in French history – and now a paper recycling firm in East Kilbride is using a giant one to grab a larger share of overseas markets, including France.

Highlander founders Stephen Duffy and Brian Bingham with the Reel Splitter. Picture: Contributed

Highlander International Recycling has invested £100,000 in a massive new guillotine and paper baler, which will help the firm to split reels of paper that are up to 2.5 tonnes in weight.

The company, which turns over about £8 million a year, has also hired two members of staff to help its expansion.

Joint managing director Stephen Duffy said: “Our two new market development managers have helped us secure deals to supply mills in Britain, France and Germany and have highlighted a potential opportunity in Indonesia. Their work has already increased turnover and profits.”

Duffy, who founded the firm in 2002 with Brian Bingham, added: “We would like to break the £10m turnover mark and have net profits of about 10 per cent by 2015.

“As well as helping us work towards that goal, the new managers will free up Brian and I’s time, allowing us to concentrate on pushing the services we now offer thanks to the new machinery.”

Business Gateway supported Highlander’s expansion by putting the firm in touch with Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International, which funded 50 per cent of the cost of the two development managers.

Duffy said: “If it hadn’t 
been for the funding, we realistically wouldn’t have been able to take them on.”