A BRIGHT future lies ahead for a Bradford-based medical waste management firm – one of the oldest in the sector – according to its new Scottish owner.

GW Butler, based on Bowling Back Lane, which started in 1933 as a scrap metal recycling business, has been acquired by the UK’s largest private medical waste company, Healthcare Environmental Group.

Paul Smart, HEG group marketing manager, said the deal would be positive for GWB, which employs 50 staff and works with 13 major NHS trusts and a mix of public and private sector businesses throughout the UK.

He said future investment and developments could generate more jobs in Bradford.

GWB, which also has waste management plants in Essex and Nottingham, will continue to operate under its own name.

Mr Smart said GWB would be a natural fit into the group’s medical waste management operations as it looked to expand further .

“GW Butler is a complete asset for HEG and this acquisition will be of great benefit to both parties. GWB will continue to function as is but with the added resources of a larger group behind it., No jobs are threatened by this deal and, in fact, new jobs could be created within GWB as we move forward with our investment plans,” he said.

HEG was a UK-wide operation and GWB’s three waste management sites are a valuable addition to its business.

HEG deals with all of NHS Scotland’s acute and community hospitals and collects from every hospital, GP and dental surgeries and pharmacies in Scotland. It was recently awarded the healthcare waste management contract for the North East of England.

Martin Helstrip, GWB general manager, said: “We are delighted to have joined the Healthcare Group. When discussing the acquisition with the directors of HEG, the complimentary aspects of the two businesses made the decision an easy one.

“The combination of facilities, expertise and the ethos to drive efficiencies within the market is an extremely good fit. We are looking forward to integrating services to provide an industry-leading service to our clients.”

Garry Pettigrew, HEG managing director, said: “GWB’s history, customer service reputation and the addition of new waste- treatment facilities will be a huge benefit for the group in winning new contracts and providing further capacity in the future.

“This latest acquisition ensures the group can continue to provide a sustainable, high-quality, nationwide service whilet being competitive in the UK waste market.”

HEG recently opened a £10 million eco park in Lanarkshire to produce green energy from medical waste which will be used to fuel its operations including, eventually, the GWB business.