Shropshire-based environmental pioneer Greenfinch has been acquired by BIOGEN (UK) in an £18 million move which bosses claim will change the face of the UK’s anaerobic digestion industry.

The Bedfordshire company is one of the country’s leading operator of anaerobic disgestion, known as AD, and is joining forces with the Ludlow-based Greenfinch, a process engineering company with more than 30 years of experience within the industry.

The new firm, BiogenGreenfinch, will hold a unique position in the UK as a business with the capability and capacity to deliver a fully integrated anaerobic digestion solution to the agricultural, food, waste and water industries and to local authorities.

Greenfinch’s work is within three main sectors: sewage sludge digesters, farm digesters and food waste digesters.

Greenfinch designed, built and is now operating the South Shropshire Biodigester which was the first of its kind in the UK to process source-separated municipal kitchen waste into biogas and a biofertiliser.

BIOGEN’s integrated clean AD plants recycle food waste to produce a valuable biofertiliser and renewable energy and along with Greenfinch they have been responsible for the development of 12 plants to date throughout the UK.

Michael Chesshire, founder of Greenfinch and technology director of BiogenGreenfinch, said: “Interest in AD has increased enormously over the past two years because of its strong credentials as a low carbon technology, addressing the challenges of landfill diversion, energy costs, fertiliser costs and resource management.

“Britain needs a strong home grown AD industry and BiogenGreenfinch brings together the expertise and resources of two pioneering companies which have invested heavily in the development of the technology for food waste, for agriculture and for the water industry.”

Dan Poulson, CEO of BiogenGreenfinch said, “This is an exciting milestone for both companies. BiogenGreenfinch has secured funding from Bedfordia Group plc which has invested a total of £18m to develop the business.

“The consolidation of two such complementary businesses enables a significant increase in R&D investment, improving further on the second generation AD plant currently under construction and ten further plants in development.”

John Ibbett, chairman of BiogenGreenfinch and of Bedfordia Group said: “We feel privileged and delighted to be joining forces. Both BIOGEN and Greenfinch have grown from family businesses with strong values and these will continue to be upheld.”

BiogenGreenfinch will employ 43 people.