A WINSFORD innovator has been honoured as a 'rising star' in a major industry awards scheme.

Richard Delooze, sales director of UK Container Maintenance (UKCM), was recognised as a status holder in the 35-under-35 Awards.

The scheme celebrates young achievers and upcoming influencers in the waste and recycling industry who are ‘striving for professional excellence, promoting industry innovation and giving back to his or her company or community’.

The highly prestigious award recognises Richard’s hugely significant role in the business - forging very strong relationships with customers and contributing to its very recent successes.

The scheme is organised by letsrecycle.com in partnership with Grundon.

Awards judge Neil Grundon said: “The status holders have shone through in their inspirational entries and congratulations to them on their success.

"Over the years he has contributed hugely to the growth of the business and he's now looking at innovation and taking the business to the next level."

Richard said: “It was an honour to be commended in the ’35-under-35’ Awards and be recognised amongst such industry-leading talent.

"I thoroughly enjoyed the ceremony and meeting the other winners which was the icing on the cake.”

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Established in 1998, UKCM, the UK’s largest family owned container repair and refurbishment company is dedicated to the refurbishment of all types of waste and recycling containers.

The company works across the country offering waste companies and local authorities’ mobile repairs, as well as factory-based services at its head office on Road One at Winsford Industrial Estate.

The process brings old and often unwanted waste containers back to life instead of them going to scrap. The business model – refurbishment over replacement - is simple and for a third of the price of replacing a container, UKCM can restore the unit to full working order.