Some people grow with a business. Others help pull it in a new direction entirely. At North West Recycling, Dean is the commercial force that has done both.
No two days look the same, but I like to hit the ground running. By the time I arrive, I’ve already been through the daily reports, checked the previous day’s sales, and made sure all the wagons are planned. The rest of the day is a mix of supporting existing customers, finding new ones, and buying and selling waste and commodities across the UK. I’m someone who likes to stay ahead — I’d rather solve a problem early than walk into it the next day.
Brokerage. Sometimes a deal is done and the material never even touches our site — it goes straight from one party to another. Efficiency at its finest. And compliance runs alongside everything I do. People might not realise how much legislation we work within, or how seriously the business takes staying on the right side of it every single day.
The values of a family business — even as the company has grown significantly. There’s a loyalty here, on both sides, that you don’t find everywhere. People genuinely want the best for NWR each day. I started in finance back in 2013 and have moved into commercial roles over time. The company has trusted me to grow and develop, and I’ve tried to give that back.
Winning the Standout Achievement award at the 2022 NWR Staff Summer BBQ, presented by Rick. I’d worked hard across a lot of different areas, and to have that recognised by the business meant a lot. It felt like a moment where the trust placed in me had been justified.
Loyal people, good people. And there has to be a bit of fun in there too — I do the pranking, at the right times! Work comes first, but a bit of humour lightens the mood. As the team has grown, the communication and teamwork have had to grow with it. Bringing the right people in at every level is what allows the business to keep moving forward.
I’m genuinely pleased to have played an important part in the direction the business has taken. I was here pre-lockdown when everything snowballed, and seeing the pace of change since then has been remarkable. Six years ago we had one walking floor. Now we have ten. Being here for that growth — and having a hand in making it happen — is something I’m really proud of.
I’ve grown a commercial head. Once that’s switched on, it doesn’t switch off — every moment of the day I’m thinking about ways to improve things, fix problems, find new opportunities. Problems happen every day, and that’s not a bad thing. That’s how a company grows.
NWR has the potential to be a national player. More tonnage, more processes, more contracts, more vehicles — it all builds. Renewable energy initiatives, more tenders won. I want NWR to be the answer to Cumbria’s waste. That’s the vision I’m working towards every day.
Listen. Look — really see what’s going on around you. Ask questions. And be thick-skinned!
Celebrating 30 years of North West Recycling 30 Years of Building From What You Left Behind This year marks a proud milestone for North West Recycling as we celebrate 30 years of service to Cumbria — and we think that strapline says it all. Because that is exactly what we do: we build something valuable […]
And How We Can Help Prevent Tragedies Refuse not refuge! As temperatures drop and winter approaches, many people experiencing homelessness face increasingly harsh and dangerous conditions. In desperate attempts to stay warm, some rough sleepers seek shelter inside refuse containers such as bins and skips. While it may feel like temporary protection from the cold, […]
We’re proud to announce that North West Recycling (NWR) is now an official Club Partner and Waste Management Partner of Carlisle United Football Club for the upcoming season. Founded in 1995 as Brampton Skip Hire, we’ve grown over the past 30 years into the region’s largest privately owned waste management provider, serving Cumbria, South West […]
What are aggregate materials used for and what are their main benefits? Construction aggregates are often referred to as simply “aggregates,”. They are a group of materials that are used in construction to form the foundation of roads, buildings, and other structures. Indeed, there are several benefits to using construction aggregate materials in construction projects: […]
A simple guide to gasification and its benefits Gasification is a process that converts solid or liquid fuels into a gaseous fuel called “syngas”. This is done by oxidizing the fuel, creating a mixture of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and other volatile gases. The syngas produced can then be burned as a fuel in a gas […]
Hiring a skip is an excellent and convenient way of getting rid of waste in your home. During home and garden clean or clear outs, you will realize that you have different types of waste to dispose of. Before you embark on disposing of any waste, it is important that you understand what type of […]
Courage in business is rarely dramatic. Sometimes it simply looks like a family in Brampton choosing to do things differently. It started with a straightforward observation: the stone and soil arriving at a family farm inert landfill back in 1990 still had value. That instinct – to find opportunity in what others leave behind – […]
Thirty years on, the values Pam Allan brought to a kitchen table in Brampton still run through North West Recycling. Before the wagons and the processing lines, before the Rockcliffe site and the 133 -strong workforce, there was a kitchen table in Brampton and a woman answering the phone. When Rick Allan founded what was […]
Thirty Years of Partnerships. There is a version of North West Recycling’s story that focuses on the infrastructure – the 30-acre site at Rockcliffe, the 40+ vehicle fleet, the 150,000 tonnes of waste processed every year, with 98% diverted from landfill. Those numbers matter. But they don’t fully explain how an independent family business in […]
At North West Recycling, supporting our community means supporting the people in it — and that’s exactly what our sponsorship of Carlisle Reivers FC is all about. A Sponsorship Close to Home Grassroots football relies on the time, energy and commitment of volunteers, coaches and local businesses who believe in what a club can do […]
North West Recycling (NWR) is proud to confirm its official sustainability partnership with Carlisle United Football Club for the 2026/27 season. As the club’s waste management provider, NWR already plays an active role at Brunton Park – collecting and processing the ground’s food waste, glass, mixed recycling, and general waste at NWR facilities right here […]
When three local businesses come together for a good cause, the results speak for themselves. North West Recycling recently joined forces with Story Contracting and Heidelberg Materials to support a community improvement project at Eden Valley Hospice — helping create a new surfaced pathway that will make a real difference to patients, families and staff. […]
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is a diverse and intricate category of recyclable waste that poses unique challenges in the recycling process. This category of waste consists of various electronic devices, making it a challenging waste type to handle. Our primary goal is to achieve the best possible outcome for the waste we receive, […]
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