A STOURPORT based firm which recycles oils has expanded into the United States.

Slicker Recycling, which specialises in the recycling and treatment of waste lubricating oils, has announced the takeover of Ohio-based Hydrodec, a firm which collects and hydrotreats used transformer and naphthenic oils.

The takeover comes after the 2020 opening of its £70 million base oil re-refinery in Denmark.

The deal sees a 19 employees at the US firm becoming part of Slicker, with the company’s managing director, Mark Olpin, pledging to grow the business further in the years ahead.

The firm aims to use recycled oils to help in the march towards a carbon-neutral economy.

Mr Olpin said: “Hydrodec is a well-respected, technologically advanced and hugely successful business with customers across the US and global energy sector.

“The transformer oil the company produces is essential to run electric grids and the carbon credits the process generates is a global first for this type of activity. That’s a really exciting opportunity for us and not only does the acquisition allow us to enter the north American market for the first time, but it is a perfect fit in terms of our future plans and green credentials.

"As the world moves towards a carbon neutral footprint the potential to put even more recycled oils back into the market is huge.

“It is also a deal which comes as the spotlight has been on the COP26 conference in Glasgow with world leaders agreeing a series of environmental and net-zero commitments. The circular economy and the private sector are vital elements of that jigsaw so we are delighted to be playing our role, expanding further, and taking our green credentials across the Atlantic.”

Since the launch in July 2020, the firm's base oil re-refinery in Denmark has regenerated over 110 million litres of lubricant base oils for the international market – with 75 million supplied from the UK, saving around 40,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.