A UK recycling firm, Acetech Metals, has entered liquidation after 27 years in business, with its assets up for sale. The company, founded in 1998, processed ferrous metals and aluminium for domestic and export markets. However, mounting financial pressures in the recycling and metals sector led to the appointment of a voluntary liquidator, Richard Marchinton, in September 2025. This triggered the disposal of Acetech Metals' operational assets, including over 80 lots of large-capacity plant and equipment, listed via the firm's online auction platform. The auction, managed by BPI Asset Advisory, is scheduled to close on January 22, 2026. Luke Hartshorn, Director at BPI Asset Advisory, anticipates strong interest in the machinery, which is particularly attractive to recyclers, demolition businesses, and contractors looking to increase capacity with heavy-duty equipment. The firm's collapse comes at a challenging time for the UK recycling industry, following the recent liquidation of Unimetals Group, another major metals recycling firm, which was placed into compulsory liquidation by court order in November 2025 after failing to secure a buyer or new financing. Unimetals Recycling (UK) Ltd operated 27 sites nationwide and employed around 650 people.
