Sims Group is to double its electronics recycling capacity with the opening of a new plant in Stalybridge, Manchester.

The company has outgrown its current capacity at Ashton-under-Lyne and on December 1 will make the move to its new 25,000 tonnes per year facility.

At the plant Sims will deal with general electronic waste, including small household goods. Televisions and computer monitors will also be pre-treated at the plant, with the cathode ray tubes sent to the company's specific CRT recycling line in Echt in the Netherlands.

Jason Price, regional manager for Sims, said: "Sims has outgrown the old facility, our client list has expanded rapidly over the past year or so."

According to Sims the new plant is bigger and much more efficient than the Ashton plant. Instead of manually moving the electronic waste from area to area the new plant uses conveyor belts.

Processing

Sims has also said that the new site will aid further processing of the equipment when it is sent to Sims Group's dedicated cathode ray tube, toner cartridge and plastic recycling plants within Europe.

Mr Price added: "The new facility is part of Sims Group's WEEE growth strategy, taking our European electronics recycling capacity to over 150,000 tonnes annually with yet further capacity in our growing Australian and US businesses.

"The group has also recently employed a team of regional business development executives to assist our growing client base in their understanding of this complex legislation and how Sims' range of services can help producers meet their obligations," he added.

Sims is also planning a number of other major developments to coincide with the implementation of WEEE legislation. These plans include the "recycling" of its original plant in Ashton-under Lyne.