Alex Sophocli joins Envac UK from EJ, the world leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of access solutions, where he was responsible for managing water utility projects to refurbish and upgrade existing water assets throughout Thames Water infrastructure.

Alex is responsible for assisting with the ongoing Envac rollout across Quintain’s Wembley Park site and supporting the current installation at Barking Riverside, which is expected to go live in April as tenants begin to move into the newly built homes.

The appointment comes as forthcoming sites in London, and even Hampshire and Buckinghamshire, opt to move away from traditional bins in favour of a waste collection solution that releases space, reduces waste collection vehicle traffic and improves the sustainability credentials of a development.

Dave Buckley, Managing Director at Envac UK, comments: “We’ve been communicating the benefits of AWCS over traditional bins for some time and now, ten years since the first system was installed in Wembley, we’re beginning to see the message resonate with local authorities and developers not just across London, but across the country.

“Developers now understand that the space saved by using an underground pipe infrastructure can be used for further commercial development and this, combined with the fact that fleets upon fleets of bins is no longer a feasible solution, is beginning to shift opinion towards a system that not only improves local environments, but also costs less to run than multiple collection trucks operating all day, every day. Alex’s appointment is essential in growing the business in line with growing demand for AWCS and we welcome him to the team.”

Work on Barking Riverside’s collection station, which is due to be commissioned towards the end of March, is nearing completion. The system, which will replace 19,000 traditional bins with only 460 Envac waste inlets connected to an underground network of pipes that transport waste, via airflow, from inlets to the collection station, will be the biggest in Europe when fully operational.

Alex adds: “It’s a really exciting time to be joining the business. I now look forward to growing with the company as the technology gains further acceptance and the UK market for AWCS develops.”

There are now over 1,000 Envac installations worldwide across a number of regions and countries including Scandinavia, the Middle East, Singapore and South Korea.