Teesside entrepreneur Allan Hoggarth is exploring the possibility of opening a Wilton Recovery pilot plant in the United States.
The company has successfully pioneered and patented a process that allows a material normally destined for landfill to be reused in the manufacturing process.
He is currently in talks with a major company in the North East interested in adopting the technology, currently the subject of a confidentiality clause.
Wilton Recovery is weeks away from completing construction of its plant on the Wilton International site, near Redcar, following the arrival of specialist equipment from Germany.
However, Allan is currently examining the viability of establishing a second ‘test’ plant in the US, to prove to the huge American market that the process is both cost effective and eco-friendly.
He recruited a Doctor of Engineering to develop the technique that involves reducing the material into powder form – allowing manufacturers to save money by reducing the amount of primary material required.
Allan, who invested £300,000 in creating Wilton Recovery, said: “This is a process that can be easily replicated around the globe, so the possibilities are endless.
“One option is to import the material from such countries as Mexico, the United States and Canada, but we are currently conducting tests to ensure its makeup is compatible with the manufacturing process here in the UK.
“Either way, I’m already looking into the possibilities of opening a pilot plant in the United States.
“It’s a hugely exciting time to know that we have created an innovative process capable of contributing to the circular economy, not only here in the North East, but globally.”
The Wilton International plant will create an initial five jobs and is predicted to achieve a £500,000 turnover in its first year.
It is estimated that the process can save manufacturers in the region of £1,700 per tonne together with £300 in associated landfill costs.
Wilton Recovery has set a target of processing a minimum 50 tonnes a month – with the capacity to handle much more as the business grows.