Reconomy opens food‑sector recycle plant

Reconomy is set to open one of the UK’s largest dedicated plastic recycling facilities after confirming a £20 million investment in a new 138,000 sq ft closed‑loop plant in Corby, Northamptonshire.

The site, operated under the company’s Eurokey brand, is designed to significantly expand domestic recycling capacity at a time when the UK faces acute infrastructure shortages.

The facility, now nearing the end of its construction phase, is scheduled to become fully operational in the second half of 2026. Once running at full capacity, it will process 38,000 tonnes of plastic material annually and create more than 30 new local jobs.

Reconomy said the plant will play a critical role in helping supermarkets, retailers and grocers recycle plastic packaging domestically rather than relying on exports. Currently, the UK recycles only around half (51%) of its plastic packaging within its own borders, due largely to limited processing capacity.

Material will be sourced from Eurokey’s nearby Kettering sorting facility — less than ten miles away — before being recycled into high‑quality pellets for use in new supermarket packaging. The company said the proximity of the two sites will reduce transport emissions, cut costs and lower reliance on virgin plastics.

Mike Benton, recycle loop managing director at Reconomy, described the investment as “an exceptional milestone for our business and for the UK’s plastics recycling industry,” adding that the new plant will “play a major role in increasing domestic recycling capacity and reducing reliance on virgin plastic by keeping high-quality material in circulation.”

Zubair Bajwa, operations director at Eurokey, said the development comes at a pivotal moment for the sector. “We are very proud to play a leading role in strengthening the UK’s plastic recycling industry at this critical time,” he said. “For over 30 years, our business has helped leading UK supermarkets and retailers maximise the recycling potential of their plastic material, and this new site will allow us to go even further.”

The investment marks one of the most significant expansions of UK plastics recycling infrastructure in recent years, offering a boost to both national circular economy ambitions and local economic growth.