Page 54 from: Recycling International July issue | 2022 + TOP 100!
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A U T H O R S Kirstin Linnenkoper, Martijn Reintjes
Olivier François (France/
Belgium)
François is a familiar face at global con-
ferences with recycling expertise spanning various
materials and applications, including cars and
e-scrap. He has been with Galloo Group since 2000
and is an advocate for recyclers’ interests at the
French Federation of Recycling Enterprises. In
April, the chemical engineer was elected president
of European trade organisation EuRIC. Read the
interview with François on pages 8-9 of this issue
of Recycling International.
Venan Sondo (Ghana)
This recycler from Ghana is spotlighted
in the IFAT conference report in this
issue of Recycling International (page 23). Sondo
represents Chaint Afrique, an organisation that
promotes the recycling of fishing nets. Ghana has a
huge fishing industry on its coast and around Lake
Volta and unwanted nets used to be either buried,
burned or thrown back into the sea or lake, spoil-
ing the environment. Sondo and his team of volun-
teers decided to do something about it and started
a network of collection points. By the end of 2022
they hope to have launched their tenth hub.
Team Alpla Mexico (Mexico)
Plastics packaging recycler Alpla is busy
closing loops around the world, includ-
ing Mexico. A major multi-million dollar plant to
recycle plastic bottles in the south-east of the
country is underway in a joint venture between
Alpla and Coca-Cola. The Planta Nueva Ecología
de Tabasco (Planeta) will be equipped with the lat-
est technology. It will have the capacity to process
50 000 tonnes of post-consumer PET bottles per
year, delivering 35 000 tonnes of rPET flakes. The
facility will be supplied by a network of 18 collec-
tion centres spread across south and south-east
Mexico.
Gary Champlin (USA)
Previous ISRI chair heads a family owned tyre recycling business
in ‘fly-over state’ Kansas. Five million scrap tyres pass through his
hands each year. Champlin Tire Recycling services six US states. It also man-
ufactures park benches and picnic tables.
Managing director Gary Champlin (left) has been in the recycling business
since 1992. Recycling is a business of relationships and recyclers could not
see themselves working in any other sphere, he observes. ‘I feel exactly the
same way about our family’s recycling business. The sense of accomplish-
ment is shared by the entire family and not just as an individual performing
at work. The success of a family business will be enjoyed beyond the busi-
ness itself.’
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Mir Mujtaba (UAE)
Mujtaba is a well-known figure in the global scrap metal scene.
More than 30 years ago, he moved from India to Dubai to start
his own scrap business sourcing the Middle East and north-east Africa and
selling to end-users across India and beyond. In the past three decades, the
entrepreneur and owner of Jupiter Metal Trading has seen the Gulf region
develop into a major economic hub attracting investors from around the
globe. Mujtaba has seen ups-and-downs with, unsurprisingly, 2020-21 being
a significant ‘down’ due to the pandemic. Mujtaba is president of the
Bureau of Middle East Recycling.
Simon and Lynette Westgaard (New Zealand)
Another best practice from Down Under. What started with one
man, a truck and a big mobile phone 30 years ago is today a
100% family owned and operated business handling 50 000 tonnes of mate-
rials with the ambition to ramp up to 100 000 tonnes in the coming years.
Business is challenging, with steel scrap pricing going up and down. ‘We are
lucky to have a new powerful shear to convert materials into cashflow every
day.’
Running a family business sometimes feels like one big adventure: ‘You all
get excited with new developments and . It’s fantastic to have the next gen-
eration bring their ideas and energy to the table.’
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