DS Smith, based in the United Kingdom, has confirmed its acquisition of Middleton Paper’s recycling division. The division currently generates around 9,000 metric tons of recovered fiber per year.

Prior to the acquisition the recycling division was a part of Middleton Paper, which remains an independent merchant and converter based in Walsall, West Midlands, U.K. For close to 40 years the company has been a part of the Middleton Group.

“The Birmingham region is a key industrial and commercial area and the purchase of Middleton Recycling will allow us to target material and grow our presence here,” says Peter McGuinness, CEO of DS Smith’s recycling division. “It is a strategic fit for growing our business and extends our coverage in the area.”

DS Smith says Middleton’s location complements its plans for increasing capacity in the Birmingham area. Its existing depots in the area were restricted in their ability to increase capacity, according to DS Smith.

DS Smith, which says it is the largest paper recycler in Europe, recovers and recycles around 5.4 million metric tons of fiber per year. A significant portion of the fiber it collects is consumed internally by DS Smith’s paper and paperboard mills.

Last year DS Smith Plc unified its global operations under one brand, DS Smith. The move brought together the four divisions of the company’s operations: Paper, Packaging, Recycling and Plastics.

DS Smith’s recycling division includes 11 recycling sites in Europe. The company also recently completed the acquisition of the remaining 50 percent of the Italian recycling company Italmaceri Srl. DS Smith acquired its initial 50 percent of the Italian recycling company as part of its acquisition of SCA Packaging in 2012.

Jim Malone, DS Smith Recycling Division’s European sales and purchasing director, will be on the keynote panel for the upcoming Paper Recycling Conference Europe event, which will be held Oct. 29-30 in Milan.