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ALL CHANGE AS ECT GROUP MOVES IN NEW DIRECTION
03/06/2008
ECT Group, one of the UK’s leading social enterprises, is moving in a new direction it was announced today. The Group, whilst retaining its commitment to the provision of high quality public services for the community and to sustainability and partnership working, is preparing for major changes in direction.
This is a joint press release sent on behalf of ECT Group and May Gurney Integrated Services Plc
News Release 38/08
ECT Group, one of the UK’s leading social enterprises, is moving in a new direction it was announced today. The Group, whilst retaining its commitment to the provision of high quality public services for the community and to sustainability and partnership working, is preparing for major changes in direction.
ECT Recycling - part of the ECT Group with 1,100 employees - has been acquired by May Gurney, one of the UK’s most successful maintenance and support services companies and listed on the London stock market (AIM).
First and foremost, it’s ‘business as usual’ at ECT Recycling - the current strong management team will remain in place, led by Stephen Sears, and the focus will remain on delivering service quality for its customers and its customers’ customers – members of the public.
For some time, ECT Recycling had been exploring ways to secure its future and to build upon its successful business formula in delivering municipal waste services to local authorities.
Stephen Sears, who has led the development of ECT since 1980 said: “ECT has been looking for a partner for our recycling and waste management business with a good reputation in the local authority market place and with the commercial muscle to help us to secure bigger contracts. This will allow us to deliver our social and environmental objectives as well as the financial results that are essential to continued success.
We are delighted to have the opportunity to work within May Gurney and to develop our sustainable waste management business in a way that retains our commitment to working in partnership with our customers, to staff development and to strong corporate responsibility to communities and the environment”.
David Sterry, Chief Executive of May Gurney, said: “We are delighted to welcome a company whose long-term customer oriented culture and focus on partnerships is aligned to our own. This acquisition significantly enhances our capabilities and customer relationships in the local government waste services market, a market where the demands on our customers and challenges for our customers are growing rapidly.”
The ECT Group (which includes the charity Ealing Community Transport) will continue to operate community transport services in Ealing, Milton Keynes, Cheshire and the 195 bus service. It will maintain its joint venture with Hackney Community Transport (E&HCT), transporting construction workers within the Olympic Park, on behalf of the ODA.
The rail businesses - RMS, Weardale and Dartmoor - are in the process of being sold to new owners with the financial firepower and resources to develop them successfully.
Cuckoo Lane Health Care will become an independent organisation. Its association with ECT made Cuckoo Lane one of Britain’s most well known nurse-led practices.
ECT Group recently sold its interest in its successful recycling joint venture in Northern Ireland; Bryson Recycling to its joint venture partner the Bryson Charitable Group.
Anna Whitty, who becomes Chief Executive of the ECT Group commented: “From community transport to mainstream bus services, ECT Group will continue to put our passengers first, thanks to the staff and volunteers who make our services run so smoothly.
“It has been an exciting time for us with the expansion of our services up and down the country and our new joint venture with Hackney Community Transport.
“We look forward to working in partnership; whether it is with local authorities, charities, other community transport organisations, or government schemes such as SureStart, to provide quality, accessible, sustainable community and public transport services”.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. For more information visit
ECT Recycling CIC www.ectrecycling.co.uk
May Gurney www.maygurney.co.uk
ECT Group CIC (Ealing Community Transport) www.ectgroup.co.uk
2. Photography is available on request
3. Interviews with
• ECT Group, Anna Whitty
• May Gurney, Nicola Peake
• ECT Recycling, Stephen Sears and Andy Bond
Are available on request and subject to availability
About ECT Recycling
ECT Recycling focuses on the collection and recycling of municipal household waste through long term contracts with local authorities. These contracts may also include street cleansing and other general environmental activities.
The business has an average weekly number of employees of around 1,100. Principal contracts are with the London Borough of Ealing and the Somerset Waste Partnership, together with long-term contracts with another 8 local authorities.
ECT Recycling comprises ECT Recycling CIC, ECT Engineering Limited, a 50% share of Monmouth Community Recycling Limited, a 50% share of DAWN Environmental and a 50% share of Frip Ethique.
ECT Recycling is a Community Interest Company (CIC). This CIC is a limited liability company whose business is carried on for commercial gain but whose surpluses are principally reinvested for the purpose of waste recycling.
About May Gurney
May Gurney is a dynamic integrated support and construction services company providing maintenance and enhancement services to the highways, municipal waste, rail, utilities and general infrastructure markets, primarily with public sector and regulated sector customers, across the UK. The company focuses on long-term relationships, has 3,895 employees and delivers solutions through two primary business segments - Maintenance Services and Engineering & Project Services.
The Maintenance Services segment is focused on the core markets of highways and utilities. Activities include highways maintenance under long-term partnerships with local authorities and network improvement and maintenance services provided to major UK utilities networks under long-term framework contracts.
The Engineering & Project Services segment serves public and regulated sector customers across a broad range of industries. Core services include the enhancement of road and rail infrastructure, waste management, flood protection, ground remediation, foundations, geotechnical engineering and building.
For further details about May Gurney please go to www.maygurney.co.uk which gives further information on the business and the disclosures required under AIM Rule 26.