73: Neil Skeffington, CEO and Founder at Novelplast

Neil Skeffington is the CEO and founder of Meath based Novelplast, an innovative PET plastic recycling company.  Beginning operations in late 2019, Neil’s passion for sustainability in  plastics and developing the circular economy has grown the company sales into a diverse range of industries, employing 60 people and becoming the largest PET recycling plant in Ireland by some distance. Neil has spent his career in the PET manufacturing industry both in Ireland and abroad, before setting his sights on developing recycling solutions for some of the world’s problem plastic materials.Novelplast’s vision is to be a world leader in improving the sustainability of plastics by developing technologies that add value and create a better environment for future generations. Their process is leading the change in how polyester material is recycled and repurposed. They save 1000’s of tons of post-industrial and post - consumer pet materials  from landfill per year. The materials are cleaned and pelletised and a unique blend of additives is used to improve the mechanical and aesthetic properties of the end product, resulting in a viable alternative to using virgin PET material.Neil was an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist in 2023.This is the 73rd episode in the Davy podcast series ‘Everyday Business with Aidan Donnelly’ with special guest Neil Skeffington, CEO and Founder at Novelplast.