A sophisticated theft has left a Wolverhampton recycling plant without £1.3 million worth of state-of-the-art machinery. The equipment was stolen from QC Polymer’s facility in Bilston, just days before a planned auction of its assets.
The plant, which had entered administration on October 29, was managed by joint administrators Hasib Howlader and Nimish Patel of Hudson Weir. G J Wisdom & Co. was appointed to handle the sale of the cutting-edge plastic bottle recycling plant, which featured advanced recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) technology.
The machinery was set to be auctioned on November 11, but on November 6, Garry Wisdom of G J Wisdom & Co. arrived at the site to prepare for a public viewing. He discovered that the building had been stripped of all its equipment, and the rPET recycling plant had vanished.
“This is an extraordinary turn of events,” said Howlader. “The scale of this theft is astonishing. The equipment was highly specialised, and we estimate it would have taken a week to dismantle and a fleet of 10 articulated lorries, along with two cranes, to remove it.”
According to Howlader, there were no signs of forced entry at the facility, suggesting the theft was meticulously planned. The stolen machinery included a Bail Break, Trommel Separator, Cap & Label Separator, and a Tomra Autosort Bottle Sorter, among other highly specialised equipment designed for PET recycling.
The stolen assets were valued at £1.3 million, and Howlader urged the recycling industry to be vigilant for any signs of the equipment being sold below market value. “This machinery has a limited market, so we are asking for the industry’s help in keeping an eye out for it,” he said.
QC Polymer, which had attracted significant interest in the equipment prior to the auction, had hoped to recoup funds for creditors. “This is a setback to our plans,” said Howlader. “Our responsibility as administrators is to maximise the value of the assets and return funds to creditors.”
West Midlands Police have launched an investigation into the theft. A spokesperson confirmed that officers were called to the factory on Gough Road in Coseley at 10:30 am on November 6 after a report of stolen equipment. “Inquiries are ongoing,” the spokesperson said.
In addition to the stolen machinery, the crime has raised concerns about the growing issue of industrial theft, particularly in the recycling sector. Howlader and Patel have urged others in the industry to remain alert as the investigation unfolds.
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