Ward Recycling

What Ward Recycling does

Ward Recycling is a fourth-generation, family-owned UK metal recycling and waste management company founded in the 1950s and headquartered in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. It is the largest independent metal recycler in the Midlands and the UK's largest independent metal recycling and waste management company, processing in excess of 500,000 tonnes of ferrous metals annually and running 11 sites across England and Wales including a rail-connected bulk processing facility at Barking and a port-based site at Cardiff. The company trades ferrous and non-ferrous metals domestically and for export worldwide via container, vessel and rail, and operates complementary waste streams including commercial and household skip hire, hazardous waste management (asbestos, chemicals, WEEE), vehicle de-pollution and recycling, and the WARDRobe textile recycling sub-brand which processes over 200 tonnes of textiles per month.

The business is built around physical metal processing assets — high-volume shredders, large-scale shears, balers and fully calibrated electronic public weighbridges — combined with a FORS Gold accredited own-fleet transport operation. Its competitive position is reinforced by hard-to-replicate regulatory licences including hazardous waste transport, Authorised Treatment Facility status for WEEE, and Registered Vehicle De-Pollution Centre status, alongside ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications with further ISO 50001, 26000, 20400 and 44001 commitments. The company has won the Queen's Award for Excellence in International Trade and was named Metal Recycler of the Year in 2020.

Ward generates revenue through a mix of transactional commodity trading (ferrous and non-ferrous metals, textiles, end-of-life vehicles), recurring commercial waste and skip hire contracts, professional services for hazardous waste, and a self-serve online channel for household skip hire. It serves ten customer segments including Construction & Demolition, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Retail, Offices, Public Sector, Utilities, Facilities Management, Vehicle Owners and Household customers, with distribution via direct enterprise sales, a National Trade Partners Programme for nationwide multi-site coverage, online skip ordering with Pay-in-3 instalments, and international metal export channels.

Name

Ward Recycling

Legal name

Ward

Website

https://ward.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ward Recycling is the UK's largest independent metal recycler and waste management company, processing over 500,000 tonnes of ferrous metals annually across 11 UK sites and serving construction, manufacturing, retail, public sector and household customers with metal trading, skip hire, hazardous waste, vehicle and textile recycling services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Metal Recycling and Waste Management Services

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (56292), Waste Collection (56211), Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal (562211)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Hazardous Waste Management (4955)

akta.pro primary industry

Metals Recycling & Processing (Ferrous/Non-Ferrous) (BPALADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metals Recovery & Scrap Processing (from C&D) (BPALAJAF), Industrial & Manufacturing Scrap Recycling (Factory Scrap, Turnings, Offcuts) (IMAKAMAE), Non-Ferrous Scrap Processing & Recycling (Aluminum, Copper, Brass, Lead, Zinc) (EUAIAJAB)

Keywords

• Metal recycling services
• Scrap metal trading
• Waste management solutions
• Skip hire services
• Hazardous waste disposal

Headquarters

HQ city

Woodville

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ferrous Metal Recycling: Purchase and processing of ferrous metals including steel, iron, and various grades. Materials processed for UK end users or export overseas. Ward processes in excess of 500,000 tonnes of ferrous metals annually.
2. Non-Ferrous Metal Trading: Commercial buyer and seller of all non-ferrous metals including copper, stainless steel, aluminium, brasses, phosphor bronze, gun metal, and specialist alloys. Both UK and worldwide supply.
3. Commercial Waste Collection Services: Regular waste collections, skip hire, and container services for commercial customers including general waste, dry mixed recycling, wood, plastics, food waste, and hazardous materials.
4. Skip Hire: Household and commercial skip hire services ranging from 3 to 40 cubic yards. One-off or contract services with online ordering available.
5. Hazardous Waste Management: Licensed transport, handling and disposal of hazardous materials including asbestos, chemicals, solvents, oils, WEEE. Services include project management for large scale disposal.
6. WARDRobe Textile Recycling: Collection, recovery and reuse of textiles through textile banks, schools and clubs. Processing over 200 tonnes monthly with global export of reusable products.
7. Vehicle Recycling: Registered Vehicle De-Pollution Centre offering end-of-life vehicle recycling with 10-step disposal process, achieving extraction and recycling of over 95% of vehicles per EU directives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ward Recycling purchases, processes, and trades ferrous and non-ferrous metals at scale, processing in excess of 500,000 tonnes of ferrous metals annually. It also provides commercial and household waste management services including skip hire, hazardous waste disposal, vehicle de-pollution, and textile recycling (via the WARDRobe division) across 11 UK locations.

Product overview

Ward Recycling operates as a metal recycling and waste management company offering a diversified portfolio of services. The core offerings include Commercial Metal Recycling and Household Metal Recycling (encompassing Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metal Recycling, Vehicle Recycling), Commercial Waste Services and Household Waste Services, Skip Hire (Commercial and Household), Hazardous Waste Management (including Asbestos Disposal), and WARDRobe textile recycling. Additional services include Emergency Waste Removal, National Waste Management with partner coverage, and a Special Projects Division for large-scale demolition and rail projects. The company also provides digital tools including an Online Skip Booking system with Pay in 3 payment options, WARDRobe Map for locating textile banks, and Scrap Metal Quote forms. The portfolio is organized around metal recycling as the primary business, supported by complementary waste management and disposal services for both commercial and household customers across the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WARDrobe: Textile recycling division of Ward focused on the recovery and reuse of textiles. Services textile banks across the UK and exports globally.
• RecycleACar

Products and services

• Commercial Metal Recycling Comprehensive metal recycling service for commercial businesses including collection, processing, and trading of ferrous and non-ferrous metals with nationwide coverage and rail-linked bulk shipments.
• Household Metal Recycling Metal recycling service for individuals and households offering fair prices for scrap metal drop-offs at local yards, including vehicle recycling.
• Ferrous Metal Recycling Processing and recycling of ferrous metals including steel, iron and various steel grades, with capacity of more than 500,000 tonnes processed annually using high volume shredders, shears and balers.
• Non-Ferrous Metal Recycling Commercial buying and selling of non-ferrous metals including copper, stainless steel, aluminium, brass, phosphor bronze, gun metal and specialist alloys for both UK and worldwide supply.
• Vehicle Recycling End-of-life vehicle recycling as a Registered Vehicle De-Pollution Centre, with a 10-step disposal process achieving extraction and recycling of more than 95% of each vehicle in line with EU directives.
• Commercial Waste Services Tailored business waste management including regular scheduled collections, trade waste audits, one-off collections, container services and recycling of general waste, dry mixed recycling, wood, plastics, food waste and hazardous materials.
• Household Waste Services Domestic waste management services including skip hire and disposal for household projects, clearances and renovations.
• Commercial Skip Hire Skip hire for businesses with sizes from 3 to 40 cubic yards including roll-on/roll-off skips and permit arrangements, available on one-off or contract basis.
• Household Skip Hire Domestic skip hire with sizes from 3 to 40 cubic yards, online booking, Pay in 3 interest-free instalments and delivery within 24 hours in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.
• Hazardous Waste Management Licensed collection, transport, handling and disposal of hazardous materials including asbestos, chemicals, solvents, oils and WEEE for commercial and industrial customers, including project management for large-scale disposals.
• Asbestos Disposal Services Complete asbestos collection, disposal and project management covering the whole of the UK, with bulk pricing at £230 per tonne (minimum 0.5 tonnes) and a £95 small load drop-off option.
• WARDRobe Textile Recycling Textile recovery and reuse through a UK-wide network of textile banks, school and club collection points, plus a 10,000 sq ft warehouse for processing into bottany bags and exporting reusable clothing globally.
• Emergency Waste Removal 24-hour emergency waste removal services for chemical spillages, flooding, fly-tipping and other urgent situations across commercial customer sites.
• National Waste Management Nationwide waste management delivered through a preferred partner programme providing round-the-clock coverage for multi-location businesses across the UK.
• Special Projects Division Large-scale construction, demolition and rail project waste management services, handling complex multi-stream waste from sites such as parcel distribution depots and rail upgrades.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500,000+ tonnes of ferrous metals processed annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments10 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Retail Giant (Sharewear Trial)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 June 2022Trial scheme with major retailer for clothing charity partnership through WARDRobe and Sharewear.
• 1538 (Community Interest Company)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2022Fuel donation partnership to support delivery of essential supplies to war-torn Ukraine.
• University of Manchester School of Social SciencesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2022Pre-loved clothing drive partnership with Sharewear and University of Manchester to tackle clothing poverty.
• Barking Rail-Connected Site PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 September 2021Opened new rail connected metal processing site in Barking, East London to support national operations.
• Treetops HospiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Christmas Treecycling initiative partnership. Ward supports the hospice's environmental fundraising campaign through Christmas tree collection and recycling services.
• SharewearcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity partnership providing emergency clothing, shoes and bedding to prevent clothing waste and clothing poverty. Trial scheme with retail giant announced.
• Bad BambiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVintage clothing store partnership promoting reuse. Ward invests in the high street while Bad Bambi provides mental health first aider training for the community.
• Arena CommunityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoodbank charity partner based at Community Hub on Belfield Street, Ilkeston. Ward supports local community initiatives.
• Cancer JourneyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport group meeting monthly in Chilwell providing information, support, therapy, social activities and informative talks.
• UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud member of UKFT which brings together designers, manufacturers, suppliers and retailers to promote UK fashion and textile industry.
• Textile Recycling AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud member of the TRA, the UK's trade association for collectors, sorters, processors and exporters of used clothing and textiles.
• British Metal Recycling Association (BMRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member with voice in shaping the industry. Industry body for metal recyclers in the UK.
• National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member of the federation representing demolition contractors, supporting industry shaping and best practices.
• East Midlands Rail ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive member supporting rail industry in the East Midlands region.
• University of DerbyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with University of Derby DE-Carbonise project to increase sustainability and reduce emissions among the construction supply chain.
• University of NottinghamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPostgraduate Placement Nottingham (PPN) scheme hosting placement student Deepak Kataria from August 2021.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• EMR Group (European Metal Recycling): EMR is the UK's largest metal recycler, operating across ferrous and non-ferrous metals, ELV processing, and integrated waste services. It is the most direct competitor to Ward in Midlands/UK scrap metal collection, shredding, and international export.
• Renewi: Dutch-headquartered recycling and waste management company with substantial UK operations across commercial waste, hazardous waste, and materials recovery facilities. Comparable to Ward's waste collection and MRF activities for UK commercial customers.
• Biffa: One of the UK's largest waste management companies providing commercial waste collection, skip hire, recycling, and hazardous waste services. Directly comparable to Ward's waste management arm — skip hire, hazardous, recycling — across a similar SME-to-enterprise UK customer base.
• REAL Group (Roundtable Engineering & Asset Lifecycle): Independent UK metal recycling and demolition group providing scrap metal processing and demolition services. Closely comparable to Ward in being an independent UK metals and demolition player serving C&D customers.
• Reconomy: UK-focused waste management and recycling company providing commercial waste, skip hire, and resource management services across multiple sectors. Direct overlap with Ward's commercial waste and recycling proposition for enterprise clients.

Broad incumbents

• Sims Metal Management: Global metal recycling major with significant UK operations across ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, including metal recycling and brokerage activities. Overlaps with Ward's commercial metal recycling and ELV services but operates at much larger scale across multiple geographies.
• Veolia UK: UK arm of global environmental services group offering waste collection, hazardous waste, recycling, and materials recovery. Overlaps with Ward's commercial waste, hazardous, and recycling verticals but operates as a broad incumbent rather than metals specialist.
• Schnitzer Steel Industries: US-based metals recycling company with European scrap operations including ferrous and non-ferrous processing. Comparable in metals recycling activity but operates a much broader geographic and end-market footprint than Ward.

Regional players

• Galloo: European metal recycling group headquartered in Belgium/France with operations primarily in continental Europe. Comparable to Ward in shredding, ferrous, and non-ferrous processing, but does not overlap geographically in the UK domestic market.

Emerging players

• SA Recycling: US-headquartered ferrous and non-ferrous metal recycler with international operations including UK site presence. Comparable to Ward in metal processing and trading activities, though active in fewer European geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WardRecycling
• Facebookfacebook.com/WardRecyclingWasteManagement
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ward-recycling

Compliance14 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ward Recycling