Big Names and Big Ideas on Show at RWM in Partnership with CIWM 2012

RWM in partnership with CIWM 2012, is pulling in the big names, with Shadow Waste Minister Gavin Shuker MP confirmed to give a keynote speech on the second day of the show. The minister has already signalled his desire to encourage strong growth in the waste and recycling sector, suggesting that if England had opted for a 70% recycling target in last year’s Review of Waste Policy, 50,000 new jobs could have been created.

Highlighting the growing importance of resources and waste on the political agenda, the Shadow Minister will be joined in by a number of other high profile political figures, including the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Bob Neill MP, former Environment Secretary John Gummer, now Lord Deben, who chairs a new Visionary Panel on food waste, and Lord Redesdale, Chairman of the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ADBA).

Biffa Waste Ltd, meanwhile, is the latest big company name in the sector to sign up for stand space, joining an already impressive exhibitor line-up of the UK’s major waste contractors, including Cory Environmental, SITA UK, Viridor and Waste Recycling Group.

“Biffa is looking forward to increasing its presence at this year’s RWM following a successful show for Biffa’s plastics division, Biffa Polymers, last year,” says Bob Barltrop, group sales and marketing director at Biffa. “RWM gives Biffa the opportunity to showcase its range of recycling services whilst finding new outlets for recycled material and new partners to work with. It is the most important industry event on Biffa’s calendar.”

With around 650 exhibitors expected, the show has also attracted market leading plant suppliers, including Finning (UK), Hyva UK, Liebherr GB and Case. The construction industry is once again signalling its interest in the sector, with Balfour Beatty, BAM Nuttall, Costain and Davis Langdon all returning to the NEC, and the reprocessing industry will be well represented, with Aylesford Newsprint, UPM-Kymmene, Smurfit Kappa Recycling (UK) and Novelis among the exhibitors.

The event will also showcase the latest innovations in collection and transport solutions from the likes of Heil Environmental, Geesink Norba, Dennis Eagle, Mercedes Benz UK and Isuzu Truck (UK), as well as containment solutions from familiar names including Straight, Taylor UK and SSI Schaefer.

News of Biffa’s signing coincides with the launch of RWM Connect (www.rwm-connect.com), a new networking and knowledge sharing hub for all those involved in the event. Launching with a number of thought provoking opinion pieces from key industry figures, RWM Connect will also feature themed discussion forums, relevant twitter feeds and other useful information-sharing features.

“RWM Connect will build on and expand the event’s already strong seminar programme and networking opportunities, providing a focus for discussion and debate around all the important issues,” explains the show’s Managing Director Alison Jackson. “The aim is to provide resource and waste management professionals with the right tools to do business, to network and to share and gain knowledge – not just during the show but beyond.”