Tue, 25th Jun, 2024
Over 150 employees, neighbours, friends and contractors gathered at KMK Metals Recycling’s headquarters in the Cappincur Industrial Estate in Tullamore on Friday, 21st June 2024, for a summer lunch party to celebrate the company’s milestone of 45 years in business.
Although the sun failed to shine, there was ample space under cover in the company’s newest purpose-built outbuilding to comfortably hold the event, which was catered by David Smyth catering, The Ice-cream Peddlar and the Little Coffee Hut. A very creative and delicious cake made by Natalija Kozamekinaite, the partner of one of the company employees, created a wonderful centrepiece.
Each staff member was presented with a new Blaklader jacket, supplied by D&S Hardware, adorned with the company’s newly-designed 45 year anniversary logo. Guests at the lunch party were treated to music by employee Patryk Karaban who brought in his decks to entertain everyone for a couple of hours.
Long-time contractors of KMK Metals Recycling, such as Ravenhill Transport, Hyland Transport, Tullamore Steel , Tullamore Tyre Centre, electrician George Leahy and mechanic Joe Cleary also attended the lunch as well as neighbouring businesses from the Cappincur Industrial Estate.
Recent Olympics-qualifier, boxer Grainne Walsh, who is sponsored by KMK Metals Recycling, made a guest appearance at the lunch party much to the delight of attendees, as well as talented cyclist Ellen McDermott, who is also among the local sports people sponsored by the company.
A raffle was held among the company’s 150 employees with 15 top prizes of vouchers for local shops and restaurants.
Kurt Kyck, CEO of KMK Metals Recycling, made a short speech, thanking his staff for all their hard work:
“You mean an awful lot to me and my family and just look at the amount of you here to celebrate with us. Good job we built this building as otherwise there would not have been enough space to hold us all! I hope you all realise how much I appreciate what you do coming in to work every day. As a metals and e-waste recycling company we are carrying out very valuable work, recovering resources from discarded electrical waste. You should all feel very proud of being part of a recycling activity that will ultimately benefit the next generation.”
KMK Metals Recycling was founded by Kurt and Edeltraud Kyck in 1979, moving to the Cappincur Industrial Estate in 1985 with just six employees. The roots of the business were in metals recycling but over the years with improved regulation of the collection, recycling and disposal of WEEE and beneficial partnerships, the company has expanded massively.
Now employing a diverse workforce of almost 150 staff members KMK Metals Recycling collects and processes for recycling, approximately 80% of Ireland’s e-waste.
Highlights over the years include being awarded the all-Ireland fridge disposal contract in 2004, and then the following year being awarded the contracts to collect WEEE all around the country through the two newly formed compliance schemes. Almost 20 years on, the company remains a super contractor of WEEE Ireland.
Another milestone moment was becoming the first Irish company to attain the WEEELABEX standard which is the gold label of excellence in WEEE Recycling. More recently the company achieved R2 certification, which demonstrates adherence to globally recognised high environmental and data protection standards.
