SWRnewstar

What SWRnewstar does

SWRnewstar is a UK-based broker-led managed waste solutions provider, trading as Specialist Waste Recycling Ltd and headquartered in Alton, Hampshire with a registered office in Glasgow. Founded in 2007, the company provides tailored waste management, segregation at source, recycling, and landfill diversion services to enterprise customers across hospitality, property management, retail, logistics/airports, and automotive sectors. Named enterprise customers include Greene King, Dobbies (76 stores), Youth Hostel Association, Savills (~450 managed locations), Edinburgh Airport, Nationwide Crash Repair Centres, Aldi, and South Western Railway (over 5,000 tonnes of annual waste).

The company's core operating model is a broker-led platform that connects customers with regional waste collection and recycling partners through a supply chain network, rather than operating its own fleet. Notable proprietary elements include the waste yard recycling model developed at Edinburgh Airport and replicated at another UK airport, and a centralised reporting capability on recycling rates and waste spend across multi-site estates. Service offerings span waste audits, segregation at source, collection scheduling optimisation, recycling (food waste, anaerobic digestion, composting, coffee cup recycling), and landfill diversion reporting. The company holds ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), ISO 9001 (Quality Management), and a Waste Carriers Licence (2022-2025).

SWRnewstar operates a direct sales-led go-to-market with dedicated account management teams conducting site audits and managing ongoing service delivery. Revenue is generated through managed services contracts with bespoke pricing tied to customer-specific requirements. The company was acquired by Biffa in March 2019 and now operates within Biffa's Industrial & Commercial Division. Pre-acquisition, SWRnewstar averaged 25.2% annual revenue growth over six years through 2018, earning multiple recognitions in the London Stock Exchange Group's 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019) and various Green Apple and industry awards.

Name

SWRnewstar

Legal name

Specialist Waste Recycling Ltd

Website

https://swrnewstar.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SWRnewstar is a UK-based broker-led managed waste solutions provider serving enterprise customers across hospitality, property management, retail, logistics, and automotive sectors with tailored recycling and landfill diversion services, operating within Biffa's Industrial & Commercial Division since 2019.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Waste Management and Recycling Services

NAICS

Waste Collection (5621), Hazardous Waste Collection (562112), Other Waste Collection (562119), Waste Management and Remediation Services (562)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Waste Audits, Diversion Tracking & ESG Reporting (On-site Data Programs) (BPABALAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial & Institutional MSW Collection (BPALAAAB), On-site Waste Compaction & Baling Operations (BPABALAD)

Keywords

• Managed waste solutions
• Waste collection services
• Recycling services
• Landfill diversion
• Waste management consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Alton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Managed Waste Solutions: SWRnewstar provides managed waste solutions including waste collection, segregation, recycling, and disposal services across multiple waste streams including food waste, plastics, paper, cardboard, glass, and hazardous materials

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SWRnewstar is a broker-led managed waste solutions provider that delivers tailored waste management services to business customers across hospitality, property management, retail, logistics, and automotive sectors. Its core offering combines waste audits, segregation at source, collection scheduling optimisation, multi-stream recycling (including food waste, anaerobic digestion, coffee cup, plastic, paper, cardboard, glass, and hazardous materials), and landfill diversion reporting, delivered through a network of regional supply chain partners across the UK.

Product overview

SWRnewstar (Specialist Waste Recycling Ltd) operates as a managed waste solutions provider, offering a flexible, tailored approach to waste management for businesses across multiple sectors including hospitality, retail, property management, logistics, and automotive. The company's core offering is its Managed Waste Solutions service, which uses a broker-led model to connect customers with a wide network of trusted regional suppliers and local providers. Services include waste audits, segregation at source, collection scheduling optimization, recycling (including food waste, anaerobic digestion, composting, coffee cup recycling), and landfill diversion reporting. The company positions itself as delivering both sustainability improvements and cost reduction for customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Managed Waste Solutions SWRnewstar's primary service offering providing flexible, tailored managed waste solutions to UK business customers across hospitality, retail, property management, logistics, and automotive sectors. The service encompasses waste audits, segregation at source, collection scheduling, multi-stream recycling (food waste, anaerobic digestion, composting, coffee cup, plastic, paper, cardboard, glass, and hazardous materials), and landfill diversion reporting, delivered through a broker-led network of regional suppliers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Greene King achieved 98% waste diversion from landfill
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Greene KingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership supporting Greene King's zero waste to landfill objectives. SWRnewstar helped consolidate distribution network and expand reverse logistics recycling solution. Food waste, cooking oil, plastic, tin, paper and cardboard collections are backhauled to regional depots. Greene King achieved Carbon Trust Zero Waste to Landfill standard with SWRnewstar's support.
• Youth Hostel Association (YHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYHA reappointed SWRnewstar as waste management partner to improve segregation and increase recycling. Partnership includes installing water Refill stations, removing plastic straws and stirrers, and implementing hand dryers to reduce waste.
• SavillscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProperty management partnership covering around 450 locations. SWRnewstar developed uniformed approach to invoicing and central reporting on recycling rates and waste spend. Rationalisation programme reduced collections companies from 93 to 42.
• Edinburgh AirportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEight-year partnership supporting Edinburgh Airport's sustainability policy and CSR commitments. Implemented waste yard recycling model achieving 57% on-site recycling rate, 99.9% collection success rate, and 100% landfill diversion since 2015.
• DobbiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to elevate waste management performance and boost recycling across 76 stores. Implemented segregation at source, rebate-optimised collections through UK recycling network, and real-time monitoring of recycling performance.
• Nationwide Crash Repair CentrescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNine-year partnership managing dry waste, mixed recycling, general waste, hard plastic, bumpers, hazardous waste and machinery. Achieved over 97% landfill diversion and increased recycling levels to over 70%.
• Costa CoffeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Costa Coffee and Edinburgh Airport on coffee cup recycling scheme. Costa is the first UK coffee brand to commit to recycling the same volume of cups put on market each year by 2020.
• South Western Railway (SWR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to manage waste across rail operations generating over 5,000 tonnes of waste annually. Achieved 78% recycling rate and 100% zero waste to landfill target eight months early.
• Better Buildings Partnership (BBP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSWRnewstar selected as partner to work with BBP to set standards and drive out best practice in waste management for commercial buildings. Contributed to Managing Agent Programme (MAP) for standardised procurement documentation and metrics.
• AldicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Aldi on waste reduction strategy as signatories of the Courtauld Commitment. Won waste2zero 'Best Waste Project Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Award' for site-based training, detailed reporting, and closed loop recycling solutions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Phs Group: Phs Group is a UK-based provider of integrated facilities services including waste management, hygiene, and compliance. Serves many of the same multi-site commercial customers (hospitality, retail, property) that SWRnewstar targets with similar managed-service contracts.
• Grundon Waste Management: Grundon is a major UK private waste management company providing collection, recycling, and disposal services to commercial customers across multiple sectors. Closely comparable to SWRnewstar in target market and service offering, with a similar multi-sector commercial focus.
• Cleanaway UK: Cleanaway is a leading Australian-headquartered waste management company with significant UK operations, providing commercial and industrial waste collection, recycling, and disposal services. Direct competitor in the UK commercial waste market with comparable multi-sector service offering.

Broad incumbents

• Waste Management Inc (UK operations): Waste Management Inc is the largest environmental services company in North America with a UK commercial waste business. Represents a global incumbent competitor targeting similar commercial and industrial waste contracts, with broader scale and owned infrastructure.
• Biffa plc: Biffa is SWRnewstar's parent company and one of the UK's largest waste management companies providing collection, treatment, recycling and disposal services. As the parent, Biffa is both the most direct comparable (vertical overlap in commercial waste management) and the entity that SWRnewstar is integrated into, making it the most relevant peer.
• Renewi plc: Renewi is a UK and Benelux-focused waste-to-product company providing commercial waste collection, recycling, and resource recovery services. Operates in overlapping verticals with SWRnewstar and represents a similar profile of commercial waste management services.
• Veolia UK: Veolia is a global environmental services leader with major UK operations in commercial waste collection, recycling, and resource management. Targets the same multi-site enterprise customers in hospitality, property, retail, and industrial sectors as SWRnewstar, with a broader service portfolio and owned infrastructure.
• FCC Environment: FCC Environment is one of the UK's leading waste management companies providing collection, treatment, recycling, and disposal services to municipal and commercial customers. It directly competes for the same commercial and institutional waste management contracts that SWRnewstar targets.

Emerging players

• Simply Waste Solutions: Simply Waste Solutions is a UK commercial waste broker providing tailored waste management services to businesses. As a broker-led model, it represents the closest direct peer in terms of business model, targeting similar commercial customers without owned collection infrastructure.
• Recorra: Recorra is a UK-based office waste and recycling company providing managed commercial waste services to businesses, with a focus on zero landfill and sustainability outcomes. Comparable to SWRnewstar's commercial waste management offering but with a narrower focus on office and SME customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/swrnewstar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/swrnewstar

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 SWRnewstar