Morley Waste’s successful international sales have made it one of The Sunday Times’ International Track Top 50 Businesses

Antony Whittaker, Director of Morley Waste, talks to MEM about the company’s proud accomplishment, earning a place on The Sunday Times’ International Track Top 50 after reporting terrific international sales and experiencing rapid growth.

Becoming one of The Sunday Times’ International Track top 50 companies isn’t easy. It takes courage, ambition and skill, something Morley Waste based in Leeds can boast. The league table, created by the UK newspaper, tracks British mid-market private companies’ international sales to see which are experiencing the most rapid growth. Sales are measured over two years and compiled into the Fast Track list, which is published each June. An awards event in September complements the publication of the league table.

Antony Whittaker, Director of Morley Waste, is understandably proud of the business’s accomplishments but recognises that the hard work to get this far must continue. We have set ourselves a target with Fast Track we want to go up from 40 to 30, we want to keep providing the service and keep enjoying what we are doing. I personally enjoy building the business. I have been involved from before I left school. The steps we have taken to be where we are now is a massive achievement and we want to keep achieving.

Family Run Approach Underpins Customer Service

Morley Waste is a family run business that has dominated the British market by becoming one of the leading metal recyclers in the north handling in excess of 150,000 tonnes of scrap metal annually. While also expanding its reach to Europe, Morley Waste is a business that has learnt to adapt over the years to overcome its competition and provide the best possible service.

The business now operates ten professionally organised and fully authorised metal waste recycling centers, which together provide significant coverage throughout the Yorkshire region. With a long history in handling scrap metal, Morley Waste has currently enjoyed four generations of family working within the business which has promoted consistency of knowledge, service standards and customer relationships. It also makes it an expert in the sector.

We have set ourselves a target with Fast Track, we want to go up from 40 to 30, we want to keep providing the service and keep enjoying what we are doing. – Antony Whittaker, Director of Morley Waste

Antony said being a family business is key component of the company’s ongoing success. I’m in the third generation, my kids are working for the company now are fourth generations. We all keep pushing forward. We’re proud of the business’s history and ambitious enough to take it forward. Antony explained how the business is not dictated by one person, everyone plays a role. Strategy is a combination of efforts; skill sets that make Morley Waste a leading solutions provider.

Strong, Experienced, Knowledgeable Workforce

Indeed, its reputation is due to the merits of such a strong workforce. Indicative of its family-run foundation, Morley Waste understands its responsibilities towards training staff, not only in specialist disciplines but also in health, safety and the environment. It has also benefited from former subcontractors becoming in-house employees and bringing invaluable expertise and knowledge to the business. Certainly, the company’s standing within the sector has seen it become a magnet for talent, which has further strengthen its capability.

This is vital in a challenging, competitive marketplace. For example, changing legislation is an ever-present challenge but one which the company tackles head-on. Smart investment in training ensures Morley Waste stays on top of legislative obstacles and can adapt to new markets.

Attitude Is key

Yet, as Antony states, it’s not just about being able to do a job competently and professionally but maintaining a caring attitude. If we can ease the job for the customers we will. If we can offer a service to our customer base where we can show them care then we always will.

This is exampled by the close working relationships its promotes. We have a dialogue with customers, we get answers for them and have actual conversations with them. We make ourselves available and ensure our products are exactly what the customer requires every time, adapting to needs and consistently checking quality. This has witnessed the company get a lot of frequent repeat business.

Investment is also assisting the company stay one-step ahead through the implementation of modern technology. The fragmentiser was a big one. We installed it in our home yard. It has given us the opportunity to be stronger in the market right across the north of England. It made us a lot more competitive and it opened up a lot of new expert markets because the materials it produces are well-suited to loading in shipping containers quickly and efficiently.

Ambitious Growth

Ambitious growth has sat side-by-side with the courage to reinvest profits back into the business which has evidently given Morley Waste the boost it needs over the last four years to compete with far bigger competitors.

Achievements recently have included meeting its 95% recycling target through its shredder heavy fraction plant. This has enabled it to develop new relationships with clients. Indeed, it has now established a contract with ABP associated British ports in Goole where it has just opened our new short sea dock facility. Morley Waste has bought a new Liebherr LH60 rehandler for loading vessels and handling stock at the Goole dock facility.

Morley Waste also works closely with Phillip Keatley and his team at MMH recycling who supplied them with shears and balers from Spanish manufactures Moros. They have also got cable strippers and cable granulators. This links closely with the company’s biggest investment in recent years which was a 3000hp shredder which was purchased from Metso in Germany along with a pre-shredder also from the same company.

Morley Waste wants to utilise this success and keep expanding as a business. Antony said, We want people to know we are out there. We’re always looking out for other markets. If you don’t move forward then you will end up falling backwards.

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