Liverpool-based recycled plastics manufacturer Centriforce is celebrating its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of transforming waste plastic into products used across the utilities, construction, agriculture and engineering sectors.
Founded in 1976 as Chisholm Plastics, the company began by processing paper and plastic waste before evolving into one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of recycled plastic protection products. Today, it exports to more than 50 countries and manufactures products made entirely from 100% recycled post-consumer and industrial plastic, including packaging, milk bottles and carrier bags.
Over the past five decades, Centriforce has become a long-standing supplier to the UK utilities sector. Its Stokbord® Cable Protection Tiles were first adopted by the East Midlands Electricity Board in 1982 as an alternative to concrete, establishing a relationship with utility providers that has continued for more than 40 years.
The company said its products, including Stokbord®, Tapetile® and its Protrack™ ground protection mats, are now specified by major electricity, gas and telecommunications network operators in the UK and internationally. In 2018, it also introduced Stokbord® Utility Protection in a roll format, designed to improve installation safety and efficiency on infrastructure and renewable energy projects.
Beyond utilities, Centriforce supplies recycled plastic alternatives to traditional materials such as timber and concrete for use in agriculture, civil engineering and construction. The company’s first product, a recycled plastic pig board developed to replace plywood in livestock housing, laid the foundations for a wider product portfolio focused on durability, low maintenance and sustainability.
The milestone comes as demand for lower-carbon construction materials continues to grow, with environmental, social and governance (ESG) requirements becoming increasingly important in procurement across infrastructure and public sector projects.
Centriforce said it has also published its most comprehensive net zero roadmap to date, targeting a reduction of more than 70% in CO₂ emissions through energy efficiency improvements at its six-acre manufacturing site in Liverpool.
Jonathan Pearce, CEO of Centriforce, said: “This company was built on the idea that waste plastic could be something useful – something that protects lives, assets and infrastructure. We didn’t call it the circular economy in 1976; we just called it common sense.
“The future for the business looks incredibly bright, as we move into new geographical areas, develop new products and play our role in striving to achieve net zero for our planet.”
To mark its 50th anniversary, the company has launched a year-long programme of celebrations, including a national Force of 50 campaign. Three employees will also take part in the Manchester Half Marathon in October to raise funds for Liverpool children’s charity KIND, which supports families experiencing poverty and disadvantage.
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