Cambridgeshire-based construction industry services firm Mick George Group to be acquired by Hanson

Hanson UK is to buy Cambridgeshire-based construction and demolition waste recycler Mick George Group to aid its drive towards net zero.

The deal, which is subject to competition authority approval, is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2023.

Mick George’s 1,000 employees will transfer to Hanson, along with its four recycling facilities, eight waste transfer stations, 11 aggregates quarries and 10 ready-mixed concrete plants.

The sum has not been disclosed, but Huntingdon-based Mick George has an annual revenue of around £220million, having grown in 44 years from a solo operation.

Hanson UK CEO Simon Willis said: “The acquisition of the Mick George Group is a strong fit for us and another significant step towards our target to offer circular alternatives for half of our concrete products by 2030.

“Promoting circularity and consequently recycling, reusing, and thereby reducing the use of primary raw materials, is crucial to achieving net zero.

“I warmly welcome the 1,000 Mick George employees to Hanson and look forward to further developing the business together.”

Mick George, which is headquartered in Huntingdon, operates primarily across East Anglia and East Midlands and has more than 600 HGVs.

It specialises in bulk excavation and earthmoving services, demolition, environmentally sensitive waste removal and waste management services, as well as aggregates and concrete supply.

The company, founded by Mick George in 1978, had humble beginnings.

Mick left school to train as a tyre-fitter and hoped to drive the trucks he was working on, getting his HGV licence at 21.

He was involved in driving tipper trucks needed for the construction of the M11 in the 1970s, but quickly decided he wanted to be his own boss so set up as owner-driver of a tipper lorry business, hauling demolition waste and excavation materials.

But the company soon grew and Mick began to employ more driver to drive trucks, before adding a skip-hire service, then operate his own landfill site and buying his own machines for earthmoving and plant hire.

Today, the blue and yellow livery on its trucks is a familiar sight across Cambridgeshire and beyond.

The company, which sponsors Cambridge United and Peterborough United, is also well known for its generous community fund, supporting environmental, sporting and local projects with hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Materials giant Hanson UK believes the acquisition will “significantly strengthen” its circular materials offering and complement its existing aggregates and ready-mixed concrete businesses.

The company said the acquisition will add a major recycling platform to its portfolio, and support the development of innovative technologies for processing waste, which includes the upgrade of waste for use as a valuable construction material.

Mick George has been contacted for comment.