Sims Metal Management UK (Sims UK) announced in an email to clients on April 14 that it intends to perform a “controlled reopening” of its depots, starting April 20 with some “strategically located larger processing operations.”
The company had announced on March 24, it intended to suspend all external deliveries and collection of ferrous, non-ferrous, and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) materials for three weeks as it structured and implemented a range of new control measures and safety protocols following stay-at-home measures imposed in the UK to contain the spread of COVID-19.
SMM UK plans to open the following depots from Monday, April 20:
| Region | Depot |
| North/North West UK | Hull, Reservoir Road |
| Hull Dock | |
| Leeds, Hunslet | |
| Hartlepool (from April 22) | |
| Manchester | |
| Barnsley | |
| Midlands | Halesowen |
| East Midlands | Alfreton |
| Nottingham | |
| Peterborough | |
| South West / Wales | Avonmouth Dock |
| Avonmouth Reclamation | |
| Bristol, Gatton Road | |
| Exeter | |
| Cardiff, Martin Road | |
| South East UK | Sheerness |
Sims employs 761 staff across 40 metals recycling sites, which generated and sold 1.6mn mt of material in the full calendar year 2019, according to the operational results published on the parent company’s website.