What Solway Recycling does

Solway Recycling Limited is a UK-based farm plastic recycling company founded in 1992 and headquartered in Dumfries, Scotland. The company operates a vertically integrated circular model: it collects agricultural plastic waste — including bale wrap, silage pit covers, stretch film, polytunnel plastic, crop covers, baler twine, and chemical containers — from farms across the UK via a network of regional collectors, and processes that material into durable recycled plastic products sold under the Solway-Board (sheets) and Plaswood (lumber/profiles) brands. The product portfolio spans agricultural items (livestock boarding, sheep pens, lamb warming boxes, pig arks, hen houses, calf pens, fencing), home and garden goods (picnic tables, benches, decking, planters, raised beds), and pet/equestrian offerings (dog kennels, rabbit hutches, duck houses, equine board). All products are manufactured from 100% recycled agricultural plastic and are positioned as maintenance-free, 40-year-lifespan alternatives to treated timber.

The business runs three distinct revenue streams. First, hardware sales of manufactured plastic lumber, sheets, and finished products through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at solwayrecycling.co.uk, with pricing predominantly unit-based and most orders fulfilled on a bespoke or made-to-order basis. Second, farm plastic recycling services charged via gate fees, plus free drop-off options for selected streams at the Dumfries site and a Cumbria collection hub. Third, a UK-wide waste oil collection service covering cooking, vegetable, and engine oils across England, Scotland, and Wales. Distribution combines the e-commerce site (with UK-mainland courier delivery) and direct phone sales for bespoke commercial quotes, alongside the third-party collector network for waste streams. The company is privately held, incorporated in Scotland as Solway Recycling Limited (SC213270), operates a direct-sales subsidiary called Solway Recycling Direct, and holds the regulatory permissions (waste carrier licence, environmental exemptions for baling/sorting/storing plastic waste) required for its recycling operations.

Name

Solway Recycling

Legal name

Solway Recycling Limited

Website

https://solwayrecycling.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Solway Recycling is a UK farm plastic recycler that collects agricultural plastic waste and converts it into durable Solway-Board sheets, Plaswood lumber, and finished agricultural, home/garden, and pet/equestrian products sold via e-commerce and a UK-wide collector network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recycled Plastic Products & Agricultural Waste Recycling

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Waste Collection (56211)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)

akta.pro primary industry

Post-Consumer Plastic Collection & Sorting (MRF/PRF, Bale Supply) (EUAIAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Film & Flexible Plastics Recycling (LDPE/LLDPE, Multilayer) (EUAIAKAE), Plastic Recycling Equipment & Technology Providers (Sorting, Washing, Extrusion) (EUAIAKAM)

Keywords

• Farm plastic recycling
• Recycled plastic lumber
• Agricultural plastic products
• Plastic sheet manufacturing
• Waste collection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Dumfries

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Recycled Plastic Products Sales: Sale of manufactured plastic lumber, sheets, and finished products including animal housing, agricultural equipment, garden furniture, and construction materials. Products are made-to-order (bespoke) or stocked items. Revenue is primarily one-time product sales with some recurring demand from agricultural and commercial customers.
2. Farm Plastic Recycling Services: Collection and recycling services for farm waste plastics. Services include on-farm collection and collection hub drop-off. Accepts bale wrap, silage pit covers, polythene feed bags, baler twine, net wrap, and chemical containers. Gate fees apply for most materials.
3. Waste Oil Collection Services: UK-wide collection service for cooking oil, vegetable oil, and engine oils. Coverage across England, Scotland, and Wales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Solway Recycling collects agricultural plastic waste (bale wrap, silage covers, polytunnel film, chemical containers) from UK farms through a nationwide collector network, then processes it into 100% recycled plastic sheets (Solway-Board), plastic lumber profiles (Plaswood), and a range of finished goods including livestock housing, fencing, garden furniture, and pet products. The company also operates waste oil collection services across the UK and runs a circular-economy model that turns on-farm plastic waste into maintenance-free, weather-resistant products.

Product overview

Solway Recycling is a farm plastic recycling company established in 1992, described as one of the longest and most established waste farm plastic recyclers in the world. The company operates a circular economy model: it collects agricultural plastic waste from UK farms (bale wrap, polytunnels, silage covers, chemical containers, oil) and processes it into a portfolio of durable recycled plastic products sold under the Solway-Board and Plaswood brands. The product portfolio spans three categories: (1) Agricultural products including sheep pens, lamb warming boxes, calf pens/hutches, pig arks, livestock boarding sheets, and farm fencing/storage; (2) Home, Garden & Communities products including picnic tables, garden benches, memorial benches, raised beds, planters, decking, and easy-pave surfaces; and (3) Pet & Equestrian products including dog kennels, hen houses, rabbit hutches, and duck houses. Key branded lines include Solway-Board (recycled plastic sheets in 3mm–18mm thicknesses), Plaswood (plaswood lumber/plastic timber in multiple colours and profiles including tongue-and-groove), and the Green Tractor Scheme. The company also offers complementary recycling services covering farm plastics collection, waste oil collection, bulk load recycling, and Cumbria collection hubs. All products are made from 100% recycled plastic and are designed to be durable, weather-resistant, and maintenance-free compared to traditional wood alternatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Solway-Board: Recycled plastic sheet product with 1000's of uses including stable cladding, lining cattle races, go karting tracks, trailer floors, ground protector
• Plaswood
• Solway Bin & Liner System
• Green Tactor Scheme
• EcoSheet

Products and services

• Solway-Board Recycled Plastic Sheets Recycled plastic sheet material made from 100% recycled agricultural plastic, available in thicknesses from 3mm to 18mm and colours including black, grey, green, and brown. Used for stable cladding, cattle race lining, go-karting tracks, trailer floors, ground protection, farm gate sheets, and livestock boarding. A cutting service is offered.
• Plaswood Recycled Plastic Lumber Recycled plastic lumber/profiles available in black, green, grey, and brown colours, supplied in rectangular, square, and round section options. Used as a durable, weather-resistant alternative to wood with an expected lifespan of approximately 40 years and no treatment required.
• Recycled Plastic Tongue and Groove Timber 100% recycled plastic tongue and groove timber profile (34mm x 150mm x 3600mm) in black, green, grey, or brown. Serves as a wood substitute for construction and gardening projects with no treatment required and an expected 40-year lifespan.
• 8ft x 4ft Pig Ark 8ft x 4ft pig ark made from 100% recycled plastic, extremely durable and weather-resistant. Designed to withstand rough treatment from pigs without cracking.
• 1.5 Metre Recycled Plastic Picnic Table 100% recycled plastic picnic table available in multiple colours, designed to be easy to clean, hygienic, and suitable for outdoor community and garden use.
• Deluxe Hen House Recycled plastic hen house with 2 nesting boxes in black, green, red, or grey. Features external nesting boxes for easy egg access and a larger back door for simplified cleaning.
• Lamb Warming Box Lamb warming box providing a constant flow of warm air to heat lambs suffering from hypothermia. Designed to be easily cleaned to avoid disease build-up.
• Sheep Pens Sheep pens available in Deluxe (5ft x 5ft), Intermediate (5ft x 4ft), Standard (5ft x 3ft 3) sizes, plus Outdoor variants. Made from recycled plastic for use during lambing time.
• Eco Dog Kennels Dog kennels made from 100% recycled plastic, available in mini, monster, and standard eco dog ark models. Durable, weather-resistant, and easy to clean.
• Livestock Board Recycled plastic livestock boarding sheets available in 3mm, 6mm, and 9mm thicknesses, in 8ft x 4ft dimensions. Used in agricultural applications for lining and boarding.
• Farm Plastics Collection Service UK-wide collection service for agricultural plastic waste including bale wrap, silage pit covers, polytunnel plastic, stretch film, crop covers, and horticultural fleece. Delivered through a network of local collectors throughout the UK.
• Waste Oil Collection Service UK-wide waste oil collection service covering cooking oil, vegetable oil, and engine oils, with full coverage across England, Scotland, and Wales.
• Bulk Loads Recycling Collection service for large bulk plastic loads including crop cover, polytunnel, and stretch film recycling. Plastic can be collected loose or in liners on farm.
• Cumbria Collection Hub Cumbria-based collection hub service allowing farmers to bring their used plastics to a local collection site on scheduled dates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40-year expected lifespan for plastic lumber products
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Network of UK CollectorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of collectors throughout the UK that provide on-farm collection services for farm plastics. Partners deliver collected materials to Solway Recycling for processing.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Centriforce Products: UK-based manufacturer of recycled plastic boards, profiles, lumber and street furniture from waste plastics. Most direct competitor to Solway-Board and Plaswood, serving overlapping agricultural, construction, and street-furniture customers.
• Plaswood (Recycled Plastic Products): UK producer of recycled plastic lumber, boards, fencing, and outdoor furniture made from waste plastics. Competes head-to-head with Solway's Plaswood and Solway-Board ranges across agricultural and landscaping buyers.
• Jayplas: UK plastics recycling company processing post-consumer and post-industrial plastics into recyclate and recycled products. Comparable on the recycling/processing side of Solway's business, though less focused on agricultural film.
• Axion Polymers: UK plastics recycler producing recycled polymer compounds and recovered materials from end-of-life plastics. Operates in the same recycled-plastic supply chain and addresses overlapping sustainability-focused buyers.

Broad incumbents

• Keter Group: Global leader in resin-based outdoor storage, garden furniture, and lifestyle products. Competes with Solway's home/garden and pet segments at scale but does not focus on agricultural recycled plastics or farm waste collection.
• Palram Industries: International manufacturer of polycarbonate and PVC panels, sheets, and outdoor structures. Adjacent competition in plastic sheets, panels, and outdoor cladding where Solway-Board is sold, but at much larger scale and broader product range.
• Veolia UK: Major UK waste management and recycling operator offering commercial and municipal recycling services. Competes with Solway in waste collection/recycling logistics at a much larger scale, though not in farm-specific plastic or finished plastic lumber.
• Berry Global Group: Global plastics packaging and engineered materials manufacturer with growing recycled-content offerings. Adjacent in the recycled-plastics value chain and could compete for feedstock, although not focused on agricultural film or finished plastic lumber.
• Lifetime Products: US-based manufacturer of HDPE-based outdoor furniture, sheds, and playground equipment. Comparable to Solway in durable plastic outdoor products but at much greater scale and broader retail distribution.

Emerging players

• Reconomy: UK-focused waste management and recycling services provider serving agriculture and industry. Overlaps Solway's farm plastics and waste oil collection services on the collection/logistics side, though it does not manufacture finished plastic lumber.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/solwayrecycling
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFHTlgi6lDlfMoPXvgFyjlA
• Facebookfacebook.com/solwayrecyclingltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solway-recycling

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Solway Recycling