Recycling for a greener community

The emirate of Sharjah recently saw Bee’ah, the Sharjah Environment Company, sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Justice in UAE, to allow the company to support recycling campaigns, waste reduction, re-use and educate the staff on handling and remanufacturing recyclable materials alongside other environmental activities and the promotion of green environment across emirate. Other recent environmental campaigns have also reinforced the emirate’s stance on recycling and a greener community.

Hamriyah Free Zone Authority in the emirate, which houses Al Owais Plastic Recycling FZE, participated in the International Plastic Exhibition (NPE) in Orlando, Florida early this year to showcase its outstanding features to the exhibition’s 60,000 professionals from every spectrum of the global plastics industry.

Hamriyah Free Zone in Sharjah offers the perfect environment and facilities. Together with more than 100 companies located in the zone, Al Owais Plastic deals with plastic products offering plastic recycling and waste management services to companies across UAE in the private and government sectors.

In a recent interview with International Plastics News – Middle East and Africa (IRNEA), Eyad Ibrahim Abunimer, Founder of Al Owais Plastic, shared his vision and desire for a greener community, the company’s potential market and future plans.

 
Mr. Eyad Ibrahim Abunimer, Founder of Al Owais Plastic Recycling FZE


IRNEA: What are the company’s offerings and markets of interest?

Mr. Abunimer: We produce granules and plastic raw materials, and also being a plastic recycling company, we offer recycling and waste management services to the private and government sectors. Our main dealing is with four markets: Asia, Middle East, Europe and America as we feel there is tremendous potential in those geographical regions. We are always looking for companies offering competitive pricing.

IRNEA: Where are your recycling facilities located?

Mr. Abunimer: We operate a manufacturing plant in Sharjah that produces raw material thermoplastics such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), as well as garbage bags. Our output at the Sharjah factory is between 250 to 300 tonnes per month.

Al Owais also runs a recycling plant in Ras Al Khaimah that has a capacity of 600 tonnes per month. Both these factories were set up with a cost of AED 20 million ($5.5 million). We employ highly trained skilled workers that also go through monthly trainings to reinforce their skills. As a company, we ensure offering our workers and customers a highly safe environment to function and perform.

IRNEA: Which new markets hold interest for the company?

Mr. Abunimer: We are keen on exploring the US market as it holds potential for the recycling industry given the number of petrochemical companies that operate there. We would wish to establish a recycling plant  there in collaboration with a local partner having relevant experience and contacts.  

IRNEA: What is the company’s stance on recycling and environmental safety?

Mr. Abunimer: Our challenge has been to offer a new life to the wastage in UAE and the region and in return give back the environment what it deserves. We are helping the UAE environment with our services. We recently secured a contract with the Abu Dhabi government, the capital of UAE of 5,000 tonnes/year and 1,000 tonnes annually from the local market. Our aim is to recycle plastic material as well as produce high quality thermoplastics.

IRNEA: How has the journey been since inception?

Mr. Abunimer: In 2004, we started off as a small recycling firm but today we have the best facilities to help the local market and we have plans for global expansion. Quality wise, we have the following certifications - ISO 9001: 2008 for Quality management system, ISO 14001: 2004 for Environmental management system and OHSAS 18001: 2007 for Health & Safety management system – all of which further endorse our commitment to the quality that we pursue.

IRNEA: What growth prospects does the company hold for the future?

Mr. Abunimer: Al Owais Plastic is currently servicing the UAE market with branches across Sharjah, Al Ain and Ras Al Khaimah while regionally we operate in Kuwait, Egypt, India and Pakistan. As a company, we wish to minimise the impact of plastic production in the environment through proper recycling that will lessen the environmental hazards today and in the coming years.  
 

Al Owais Plastic Recycling FZE
Plot 1H-49, Hamriyah Free Zone Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971-6 526 2166
Fax: +971-6 526 2167
E-mail: info@alowaisrecycling.com
Website: www.alowairecycling.com