Ross-shire recycling firm continuing to supply essential services to NHS Highland during Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic
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A ROSS-SHIRE business is continuing to provide critical waste and recycling services to the region's firms and NHS services.
Launched by Ewan Calder and his sister Katie Mount in 2007, Northern Recycling Solutions is based in Alness and operates across the Highlands, Moray and Aberdeenshire. It employs 32 members of staff.
Providing services from the disposal of confidential waste to skip hire, it has a client list ranging from food manufacturers to those in the transport sector.
Bank of Scotland is supporting Northern Recycling Solutions with a six-figure Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan (CBIL) and a six-month capital repayment holiday on its loans.
Mr Calder said: “It’s an extremely difficult time for many small businesses who have taken the leap of faith to remain operational during the outbreak.
“We service quite a few essential NHS sites in Inverness and the surrounding area, collecting their general waste, recycling and confidential waste.
“Although we’re still managing to remain in operation, we have been affected severely by Covid-19.
"We look after 600 sites but have seen our individual uplifts and collections decrease from 2100 per week to just 500 in the last few days.
"We have had to reduce our fleet to just three lorries and a van, and have also had to furlough most of our staff for the time being – leaving us with just five people.
“It’s a bleak outlook and the situation is far from ideal, but we wouldn’t be able to continue our work without Bank of Scotland’s support.
"We would otherwise be struggling to meet supplier payments and pay staff wages while we wait for the government’s furlough grant. It’s a big weight off of our shoulders.”
Samantha Mitchell, relationship manager at Bank of Scotland, said: “It’s understandable that small businesses, such as Northern Recycling Solutions, will be feeling nervous about the future. It’s a very trying time for many, but it’s good to see that key services are still remaining operational.
“We are trying to ease the situation by providing quick access to funding and capital repayment holiday options.
"We’re committed to supporting businesses from a variety of sectors, working by their side to help them tackle the effects of Covid-19.”
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