Terra Firma

Shanks

Description

Shanks was the third largest landfill operator in the UK and handled over 5 million tonnes of water per annum. It operated from fifteen active and nine closed landfill sites with five sites representing 80% of the value of the business.

Strategy

Terra Firma recognised that there were significant synergies to be achieved from combining the Shanks’ landfill business with that of WRG. Its sites were substantially larger than WRG’s operational sites thereby adding critical mass to the WRG platform. There was also greater potential in Shanks for exploiting the conversion of waste-to-energy – an activity which Terra Firma had identified as a significant margin driver for the combined businesses.

Outcome

Following the merger of Shanks’ landfill assets with WRG and the subsequent separation of WRG into a waste disposal division and a renewable energy generator, Terra Firma sold the waste disposal business to a European trade buyer in September 2006. Terra Firma still owns the renewable energy business which has been rebranded as Infinis.

Visit the Infinis website »

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