WASTE management company J & B Recycling is expanding its operations across the region after acquiring an additional site in Middlesbrough.

The North-East firm has opened a waste transfer station at Dockside Road, South Bank, to process commercial and industrial materials from customers across South Teesside and North Yorkshire

The new site has helped to create an additional six jobs at J & B Recycling and will improve efficiency by reducing journey times for deliveries by other waste carriers.

Mark Penny, commercial manager at the firm, said: "A significant proportion of the waste we handle comes from businesses and organisations in the South Tees region, so it has always made sense to operate a waste transfer station closer to the point of waste generation. This will allow us to expand our reach further south and gain more work.

"With an additional site in Middlesbrough we can handle commercial and industrial waste far more efficiently and reduce journey times. Previously, all the waste had to be delivered to Hartlepool for processing but the new site will allow J & B to expand our service and attract new customers that may have found it uneconomical to travel to Hartlepool."

The new waste transfer station will manage industrial waste from commercial customers such as general waste, construction waste, metals, glass, plastics, and cardboard and will allow J & B Recycling to release capacity at its two existing recycling centres in Hartlepool. The South Tees site is currently processing more than 1500 tonnes of waste per month and has helped J & B Recycling attract a number of new customers.

The company, which employs 150 staff, recycles about 120,000 tonnes of waste each year from household, commercial, industrial and construction sources with customers including Middlesbrough College, car parts manufacturer Nifco UK and The Cleveland Centre.

Mr Penny added: "As a waste management business, reducing our carbon footprint is at the very heart of what we do. We need to set an example by driving forward efficiency in every aspect of our operations particularly in reducing the journey distances and working to our full capacity."