About Us
Crossley Evans is one of the leading and most dynamic recycling and waste management organisations in the North of England. A specialist in metal recycling, the dynamic, family-run business is committed to achieving the highest standards in recycling through innovative techniques, products and customer service excellence.
We focus on the recovery and processing of recyclable materials and are amongst the top suppliers to UK-based foundries, whilst providing dynamic recycling solutions to local councils, the business community and domestic customers.
Steeped in history, Crossley Evans has been providing recycling services to valued customers for over 100 years. Today, we aim to continue our ethos of providing partners, vendors and customers with a cutting-edge, end-to-end recycling service in an ethical and environmentally responsible manner.
Our foundation in metal recycling has provided a strong base to allow us to diversify into plastics, paper, cardboard, glass and wood recycling at our six-acre site in Shipley. Around 99% of materials from the site are recycled and reused in the UK. There are further, ambitious plans to extend the wood recycling service across the North of England through a biomass production facility, in the near future.
“It is our vision to become the definitive provider of recycling solutions to organisations across the North of England, with the ability to extend that service nationwide. We want to offer a level of clarity, transparency and professionalism never before associated with the recycling industry.”
Matthew Evans, Managing Director
Fact File
Local Area
95% of materials recycled for businesses and local authorities.
Waste
Over 1,000 tonnes of waste transported by rail each week.
Over 100 years...
Part of the Shipley landscape for over 100 years and at the forefront of innovative recycling techniques.
Metal Recovery
Specialist recovery of metals and top supplier to UK foundries.
Railway Heritage
We're still using railway sidings of significant importance to railway heritage.
Carbon Footprint
Reducing the carbon footprint of organisations throughout the region.
Wildlife
Six-acre site with two acres of unspoilt habitat given to wildlife.
Crossley Evans has over a century’s heritage of recycling, from its base in Shipley, West Yorkshire. The story of recycling goes back much further than a hundred years, however. Archaeological studies of ancient waste dumps showed there was significantly less household waste being disposed of, and more waste being recycled, in the absence of new materials. The industrial revolution created high demands for raw materials, particularly scrap metals, with the rise of the railways creating a heavy demand for metal. Throughout the 19th century the railway companies bought and sold large quantities of scrap metal. In the following century, the growing steel and car industries created another demand for the material.
The first ‘Great War’ brought the need to recycle metals to the fore and it was then that Crossley Brothers expanded trading to a total of three sites in and around Shipley. The rail siding, located on site, quickly became a crucial element of the business for transporting materials. Today, it still provides an environmentally sound method of transporting vast quantities of recycled materials to re-users, such as foundries and smelters. Steam locomotives were used on site to move around rail wagons of material as late as the 1980s, but soon made way for diesel locomotives.
The early methods of manual separating and processing soon gave way to the use of massive rope-cranes similar to those used in open cast mining, but using electro-magnets powered by generators sitting on the back of the cranes. The millennium saw most of these grand machines replaced by purely hydraulic cranes, with hand operations that were as simple as a video or console game.
Brothers, Harry and Frank Crossley started the company originally prior to the first World War, then formally established the business as a limited company in 1942. In 1969, Tony Evans joined the company, bringing a wealth of engineering skills and experience. He introduced large-scale hydraulic machines, transforming the company from a traditional scrap yard into a production and process-driven, recycling business.
In 1983, the company rebranded as Crossley Evans, in 1984 with Tony taking the helm. Today, the business is spearheaded by Tony’s son, Matthew Evans. He is supported by a loyal and experienced team. with many employees having an average of ten years’ service.
As a long-established family business, we have always taken our corporate responsibility seriously. We pride ourselves on providing the highest quality products and services, whilst understanding the importance of operating in an ethical and sustainable manner. Safety, efficiency and compliance are therefore core to our business. We have a strong commitment to each and every community in which we operate, each person we employ, each customer we serve and the environment in which we work and live.
“At Crossley Evans, we closely monitor and adhere to the ever-evolving legislative changes that impact the industry, ensuring that that we meet and exceed our environmental responsibilities.”
Matthew Evans, Managing Director
Energy efficiencies extend to the firm’s transport. Our fleet of vehicles collect materials from around the North of England and we own two shunting locomotives that use the rail siding to transport materials by rail, rather than road. This includes over 1,000 tonnes of metal steel per week, being delivered to steel, iron and cast smelters around the country. The rail siding itself is one of the few remaining in the UK and is vital to the UK’s rail heritage.