Newport man voted best young entrepreneur in Wales
“I will use this as a springboard to help shape a greener Wales,” he says
A leading Newport businessman is celebrating his crowning as the nation’s ‘Young Business Achiever of the Year’ with a call for the Welsh Assembly Government and leading businesses to work with him and shape a greener Wales.
James Norvill, 26, managing director of leading Welsh waste management company GD Environmental was awarded the title at the auspicious Western Mail Business Awards for Wales, held on 18th May in Cardiff’s International Arena.
Mr Norvill adds this new honour to his British Chamber of Commerce ‘Welsh Entrepreneur of the Year’ award from late last year.
Having enjoyed a meteoric rise James is fast-becoming a face for environmental issues in Wales.
He founded GD Environmental in 2004, which has since developed from a small drainage company into a complete provider of waste disposal services including skip hire, asbestos and hazardous waste disposal.
James now tells the South Wales Argus exclusively that he wishes to use this new-found recognition to make a passionate plea for leading bodies in Wales to work with him in his bid to help recycle 90% of Welsh waste.
“We have a duty of care to protect this land for future generations,” he says.
“At present, we sing songs of our nation’s green, green grass, but unless we embark on serious measures to protect our nation, then this grass will be suffocated under needless hills of rubbish,” he says.
“Our ambition is to be recognised as a leading UK recycling company and we have several exciting projects underway. However, we are very disappointed that the Welsh Assembly Government is not backing us.
“We asked for their support towards our £1 million investment build a waste transfer and recycling station in Newport; a state-of-the-art facility that can recycle over 90% of commercial and public waste. We were offered none. Despite creating in excess of 22 Jobs”
“We have recently asked the Welsh Office for support towards another multi-million pound project that will reshape the way in which waste is recycled in Wales. Again, they tell us very little support is available for environmental projects as there is little job creation. But I believe if we don’t prioritise and create a sustainable future for Wales, then there won’t be any jobs available in the future, as the effects of global warming would have taken their to le. ”
“We seem to talk a lot about protecting our future in Wales, but it needs public investment if we are to move forward.
“We are a growing Welsh success story and I would like to keep it that way. Wales is my home and I am very passionate about securing its future.
“But if we, and other like-minded growing companies, cannot win support from our political leaders for recycling and waste management projects, then we will struggle to develop our businesses further. While companies across the border have funds readily available. Its something I believe the Welsh Office needs to reconsider to assure the long term sustainability and economical growth in Wales.”
Newport’s GD Environmental is a true success story. It has expanded at a rate of 126% year-on-year, increased its full-time staff from 2 to 47, established a client base of more than 350, and grown revenues to £2.6m this year.
Future plans include the building of waste transfer stations in Monmouthshire and Cardiff, and reaching a £9m turnover by 2010.
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Media contacts:
Office hours
Gerwyn Holmes
GD Environmental Services
T: 01633 277755
E:
http://www.gd-environmental.co.uk
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gerwyn.holmes@gd-environmental.co.uk
http://www.gd-environmental.co.uk/skip_hire.php
