From his humble beginnings on a Kentish farm, Trevor Heathcote (Chairman of Countrystyle Group, FGS Agri and FGS Plant) studied agriculture at Hadlow College and formed his first business ‘Farm and General Services’ in 1984, providing general agricultural contracting services to the farming community in rural Kent. This business grew steadily into a farming and utility contracting operation providing services to the agricultural and construction sectors, along with involvement in projects such as the construction of Kent’s high speed rail link.
During this period, Farm and General Services were approached by a Government supported agricultural advisory body with a view to trialling the composting of a difficult tomato based waste stream that was, at that time being sent to landfill. Recognising the opportunities for the treatment and composting of agricultural waste and other materials and with his agricultural background, Trevor saw the beneficial uses of composting these materials. He saw how agricultural and horticultural businesses could use the compost produced to improve soil quality, enhance crop yield and minimise the application of artificial fertilisers.
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1996
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Countrystyle Composting Ltd was formed to develop recycling for commercial and domestic green waste and other organic waste streams.
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2001
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Running in tandem with composting developments, opportunities became apparent for a gap in the market to provide good value and reliable waste collection services for waste and bulk materials using roll-on roll-off containers.
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2004
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Focus returned to composting following the advent of the Animal By-Products Act and more stringent local authority statutory recycling targets. Countrystyle Recycling Ltd was formed to acquire a site at Ridham in Sittingbourne, Kent which was earmarked for the development of a much needed recycling facility.
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2005
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The company expanded to offer a comprehensive range of waste management and collection services such as wheelie bins and skip hire.
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2006
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A waste transfer station at Strood in Rochester, Kent was established to provide in-house treatment and waste transfer capabilities.
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2008
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Following a prestigious £6m investment by the Company, Kent’s first, fully licensed and more importantly Animal By-Products Regulations approved in-vessel composting facility became operational in 2008, along with a materials recovery facility (MRF) on the same site.
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2009
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Countrystyle acquired a composting facility in Parham, Suffolk. A further waste transfer station in Folkestone, East Kent was also acquired to enhance Countrystyle’s stronghold within Kent.
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2010
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Following the acquisition of TJ Composting Ltd, an organics recycling business, Countrystyle acquired four open windrow composting facilities, expanding its composting operations to a more national basis.
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| 2011 |
Countrystyle acquired Halstead Renewable Power Project with full planning permission for the development of an Anaerobic Digestion plant in Essex. The Group also acquired a further three in-vessel composting facilities from the businesses and assets of County Mulch Ltd. |