CV Issue 1 2018

48 CORPORATE VISION / Issue 1 2018 , Ballast Phoenix has grown significantly over the last five years and is the UKmarket leader, operating 11 process facilities and selling in excess of 1.5m tonnes of aggregate into the construction sector. We profile the firmandManaging Director, Paul Knight as we look to explore the secrets behind the company’s success. A Sustainable Source of Aggregate Coming from an extensive background, Paul Knight started his career in South East Asia in 1995 in the construction industry, after qualifying from the University of Surrey with a BEng Honours in Civil Engineering. He joined Ballast Phoenix in January 2012 as Managing Director to build and strengthen its position in the UK market. During the last five years, Ballast Phoenix has experienced significant growth, with the revenue doubling due to the award of long term contracts. This success has secured the business’s future, whilst also consolidating Ballast Phoenix’s position as market leader in the UK. As of January 2018, Paul will be appointed as CEO of the Inashco Group, of which Ballast Phoenix is a member, with the aim of giving the group a clear direction and strategy in order to achieve a sustainable and global growth plan. The business will build upon the already successful technical knowledge within the group for both metal and mineral re-use. Paul believes that the success of the business is due to the strength of the team around him. “We have spent the past year restructuring our global team, to ensure that it is in line with the direction the business needs for the future. A lean hierarchy with the right people in the right roles enables quick, competent and logical business decisions. The ability of the team to convert the business vision into reality is one that enables a very driven, focused and supportive management team”. Additionally, Paul is also focused on ensuring the group’s clients receive the high level of service, that should be expected in this business environment. Moreover, Paul ensures that by empowering the teams, personnel are able to find solutions for the clients, through a personal and open approach. Established in 1996, Ballast Phoenix was founded in a niche market looking at the viability to process Incinerated Bottom Ash (IBA) into an aggregate for sale in the UK market. The firm also extracts ferrous and non-ferrous metals, and this ensures that these materials are recycled in the market and provides a sustainable solution to reduce waste. Ballast Phoenix is part of the Inashco Group, which operates globally and was founded in the Netherlands in 2008 to market a unique patented technology developed by the Technical University of Delft. The group processes bottom ash from Waste to Energy plants into usable raw materials such as metals and aggregate. This process helps close the material cycle and avoids CO2 emissions from primary raw material production. Inashco Group in total operates 22 plants in six countries including the Netherlands, UK, Germany, USA, Finland and Singapore and processes in excess of four million tonnes per year. Essentially, the group’s mission is to be the partner of choice for the Waste to Energy sector and other stakeholders focused on responsible ash management. The ambition to convert ash into raw materials drives the group to deliver inventive solutions to its customers. Boasting a wealth of knowledge, the group relies on its global operational experience, combining new and industry standard technologies, but it also continues to build upon a strong workforce of personnel who work in a safe and responsible manner. Waterland is an independent private equity firm that supports entrepreneurs in realising their growth ambitions. With substantial financial resources and committed industry expertise, Waterland focuses on acquiring growing companies that are active in strong growth markets. Due to the current trend of increasing focus on sustainability and a more circular economy, combined with Ballast Phoenix and Inashco’s strong financial performance, Waterland Private Equity acquired both Ballast Phoenix and Inashco in mid-2015, in order to build an organisation that could provide its clients with a one stop shop solution for issues relating to incinerator Bottom Ash processing. Waterland has, and continues to, actively support Inashco and Ballast Phoenix in realising their growth ambitions, by facilitating investments in new processing 1712CV18 plants throughout Europe, USA and other target regions. Furthermore, Waterland provides additional support to the group, by acting as an active shareholder, playing a key role in strategic and operational development, growth and performance. Waterland’s experienced, entrepreneurial investment team aims to support Ballast Phoenix and Inashco to maintain and grow its strong market position in today’s increasingly competitive business environment. Ultimately, Paul signs off by commenting on what helps Ballast Phoenix to establish itself as the leader within the UK aggregates sector, and which particular transactions have opened up a wealth of new opportunities on a global scale, both for the company and its clients. “Crucially, the two transactions which Waterland initiated, combined Ballast Phoenix’s leading position in the UK aggregates market with Inashco’s world-class metals extraction technology. This not only enhances the value proposition for our clients in the UK, but also creates numerous opportunities for growth on a global scale. I am excited about the prospects for our company as a global leader in bottom ash processing.” Company: Ballast Phoenix Contact Email: paul.knight@ ballastphoenix.co.uk Phone: 01778 423345