Region. Recycling industry consolidation

John Lawson, president, of the Australian Council of Recyclers, an employee of Global Renewables, which recycles rubbish materials at Eastern Creek, said the industry was preparing for the economic downturn to continue this year, which could result in consolidation within the industry. Mike Ritchie, NSW president, of the Waste Management Association of Australia, said in The Australia Financial Review, that the sharp fall in prices was hurting the bottom line of all recycling companies, especially small operators. Mr Ritchie works for Sita Environmental Solutions which has facilities at Wetherill Park and Kemps Creek.

Campbelltown. Trash in power

By the time the $50 million Macarthur Resource Recovery Centre, at Jack’s Creek, is fully operational in March, it will be carbon neutral and producing enough energy to meet its own needs and returning electricity to the grid to power 1700 homes annually. The facility, the first of its type in Australia, aims to process 90,000 tonnes of household waste a year produced by residents in Camden, Campbelltown, Wollondilly and Wingecarribee local government areas. The plant employs 40 people. WSN Environmental Solutions build the plant.

Norwest. Separation of IT infrsatructure

HBOS, which will retain Capital Finance, based at Norwest Business Park, BOS International and BOS Treasury, following the sale of Bank West and St Andrew’s Australia to the CBA, last October, will hire additional staff this year. The reason for this is the separation of IT infrastructure which could take two years. “We will be really ramping up in January and will need a lot of staff,” said John Scobie, of HBOS Australia.

Penrith. EOI for car dealership

Grant Thornton has called for expressions of interest for the purchase of the business and assets of the Nepean Motor Group, which has a total turnover in excess of $114 million. The group ha s a multi-franchise dealership, with revenues of approximately $86 million, on a free hold site in Penrith, and a leasehold site, with revenues of approximately $28 million, at McGraths Hill. The business and assets are offered for sale jointly or separately. EOIs close on January 16.

Castle Hill. 'Coffee is recession proof'

Nabi Saleh, executive chairman, of Gloria Jean’s Coffees International, based at Castle Hill, has earmarked at least 50 new stores this year, in a market in which sales were flat at the onset of the financial turmoil over a year ago, but have since risen by 3 per cent. “I would even go so far as to say coffee is recession proof,” he said in The Australian Financial Review. Tim Emmereon, of research firm, BIS Shrapnel, said going out for an expresso “has really become a way of life now”.Gloria Jeans has 854 stores around the world.