- With this acquisition, Urbaser’s investment figure in waste management in Spain will exceed 750 million euros in the last three years.
- This acquisition will make Urbaser the leading company in the management of biomedical waste.
Madrid, October 9, 2024. Urbaser reinforces its commitment to the Spanish territory by agreeing to acquire Stericycle’s Spanish and Portuguese subsidiaries. With this purchase, Urbaser, a leading company in environmental solutions, takes another step forward in its expansion plans, by adding new services to its portfolio.
This is how the transformation in which Urbaser is immersed is adding value to society, leading the way towards a more sustainable future. The company continues to make progress in its growth strategy, rotating non-strategic assets and doubling its commitment to providing environmental solutions in the waste sector in key countries. In this regard, Urbaser has intensified its efforts and commitment in its main markets, including Spain, where it has invested more than €750 million in the last three years.
Stericycle, a global leader in biomedical waste management
Urbaser has reached an agreement to acquire the Spanish and Portuguese businesses of the North American multinational Stericycle, a global leader in the provision of biomedical waste management services. This acquisition represents the expansion of its range of services, as it is dedicated to the management, collection and treatment of medical waste, both for public clients (hospitals) and private clients (clinics, laboratories, veterinary centers, etc.).
The transaction is expected to be completed in the coming months, subject to the fulfillment of certain customary conditions in this type of transaction.
With nearly 1,200 employees in Spain and Portugal, Stericycle’s different teams safely manage of large amounts of waste in health centers in 11 autonomous communities, especially in the north and east of the peninsula and on the islands (Canary and Balearics); serving private customers practically throughout the country. A dimension that has allowed them to reach the figure of around 32 thousand tons of treated medical waste in 2023. In the words of Fernando Abril Martorell, CEO at Urbaser: “This acquisition confirms our commitment to investing in Spain and leadership in providing high value-added circular solutions to our customers, advancing in the execution of our strategic plan. In addition, the transaction allows us to continue growing in Portugal, a country that we consider extremely attractive.”
Urbaser is committed to providing environmental solutions for proper waste management, both in the municipal and private sectors. In addition to being a leader in municipal waste treatment in Spain, Urbaser is also a leader in the industrial sector of oil regeneration, marpoles and construction and demolition, through its participation in Salmedina. And now, with the acquisition of the Spanish and Portuguese business of Stericycle, it also takes a leading position in the biomedical waste sector, as Abril-Martorell points out.
Urbaser, a benchmark in ESG
The acquisition of the Spanish and Portuguese business of Stericycle also demonstrates that Urbaser remains committed to making circularity a reality.
In this way, through its operations, Urbaser has avoided the emission of more than 2M tonnes of CO2 in 2023. As a result of this long-term commitment, last April, the company received the National Innovation Award, granted by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, which has recognized them in the category of Great Innovative Company, for their strategic commitment to innovation, as a leading company in environmental management and circular economy at an international level. And recently, it has also been presented with the Achilles Award in the ESG Evolution category, which reflects its firm commitment to sustainability and its leadership in responsible practices. Likewise, for the hard work carried out and the significant contributions of the company to promote an inclusive and equitable work environment, Urbaser received the “Equality in the Company” Distinction last June.
