Johnsons Aggregates shows industry-leading recycling facility to MP

Leading UK recycling facility Johnsons Aggregates showcased its technology to Adam Thompson MP, when he visited the company’s head office and main site, earlier this month. The MP saw how Johnsons Aggregates reduces the amount of waste going to landfill, by extracting metals from the IBA (incinerator bottom ash) process, turning the residue into a quality aggregate suitable for the construction industry, thereby avoiding any material going to landfill.

The British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVCA) organised for the MP for Erewash to meet with the Johnsons Aggregates team at the company’s Derbyshire site.

Lewis Johnson, CEO of Johnsons Aggregates, said: “It was great to show Adam around our plant in Erewash, and demonstrate how IBA can be carefully blended with aggregate, to provide a more sustainable, lower cost and higher quality product.

“Our approach guarantees a minimum impact on the environment and, in the past two years, we have recycled over 700,000 tonnes of IBA, recovering c.40,000 tonnes of metals that otherwise would have ended up in landfill. The recycling of IBA also results in a blended IBAA product, which is a far more sustainable building material compared to that of a quarried product. As a nation, we have a finite resource of natural stone, so using a recycled alternative is the future, and we are proud to be at the forefront of recycled products in the Midlands.”

The growth of Johnsons Aggregates has been supported by BGF, which provided an initial investment in 2016, to support the company’s operations. It has also provided the business with invaluable advice, through its wide-ranging business portfolio and deep industry expertise.

BGF’s investment has helped to fund the construction of the company’s advanced plant, which was completed in 2017, and is now widely considered as the most advanced IBA recycling facility in Europe. A follow-on investment in 2021 supported the development of a second site in Cambridgeshire, enabling further significant growth.

Following BGF’s support, Johnsons Aggregates has scaled from £10 million in revenue at the time of investment to £40 million today.

BVCA research shows that private equity and venture capital-backed businesses headquartered in Erewash support over 2,771 jobs. The East Midlands, more widely, is an exciting centre for private capital investment, attracting £718 million into the region in 2024, generating around £8 billion of GDP and supporting 130,000 jobs.

Michael Moore, BVCA Chief Executive, commented: “Johnsons Aggregates is a prime example of a business that has harnessed the support of private capital to achieve financial success, deliver innovation, and contribute to a positive environmental impact. Private capital is a partner for economic growth, supporting thousands of jobs in the East Midlands and across the UK. Our industry backs the most innovative businesses supporting local economies in every nation and region.”

Jon Earl, Partner at BGF, said: “Since our first investment in 2016, we’ve been proud to support Johnsons Aggregates in its ambition to develop world-class recycling infrastructure, enabling the business to scale significantly while delivering measurable environmental impact.

“The company’s success reflects the broader opportunity we see across the Midlands and beyond. That’s why BGF has committed £300 million to support ambitious businesses in the Midlands, over the next five years, as part of our £3 billion UK-wide pledge. This builds on the £541 million we’ve already invested in the region since 2011, and reinforces our long-standing commitment to helping local businesses grow sustainably, create skilled jobs, and drive economic value across the UK.”