Waste company makes use of major Wirral site

The 50-acre former D1 Oils bio-diesel site on Wirral International Business Park in Bromborough has been sold to Organic Waste Management for an undisclosed sum.

The manufacturing complex was originally a Lubrizol 'heavy lubes' site before it was bought by D1 Oils in 2006 for the production of bio-diesel.

D1 Oils closed the site when it decided to focus on its world-leading Jatropha business of agronomy – the science of using plants for food, fuel and fibre – operations meant that the site was closed, the plant and equipment decommissioned and it was brought to market by King Sturge.

The site has high quality in-situ plant and equipment, approximately 160,000 sq ft of built accommodation including warehousing, laboratories and office amenities and significant production and blending facilities, storage tanks as well as Environmental Agency licenses.

Helen Moss, senior surveyor at King Sturge, said: "The site has attracted significant interest, mainly from owner occupiers. However, as the recession bit, the ability for such companies to raise finance diminished. On re-marketing the site in late 2009, we did secure several serious interests and made the decision to agree a purchase with Organic Waste Management who established themselves as a committed purchaser with a solid business plan. We were pleased to find an occupier who could benefit from the comprehensive services and infrastructure and are able to adapt some of the plant and equipment to their own requirements.

"The purchase is excellent news for the local area, bringing new employment opportunities at this important site. The sale also demonstrates that whilst we remain in a difficult and uncertain market, there is still activity in several sectors such 'waste management and processing."

King Sturge acted jointly with Newman Property Consultants and Pinsent Mason acted as legal advisors to D1 Oils. Organic Waste Management represented themselves.