A Seller's Perspective
- Seller
- Peter Bourke
- Business
- CMR Recycling
- Location
- Mackay, Queensland
Watch Peter's story · 1 min
“I’m so pleased that she’s taking on this company”
The seller
Peter Bourke
Peter grew up around Mackay and spent his early working life on the mines of the Bowen Basin. He saw how much good metal was being thrown away, and thought there was a better way to deal with it.
In 2010 he opened CMR with a small shed, a weighbridge and one truck. Over the next sixteen years he built it into a yard the region relies on, and in 2020 moved it into bigger premises in Paget.
His son, Ronnie, grew up around the yard. Today Ronnie runs CMR as general manager, with two experienced managers beside him.
At 74, Peter wanted to step back while the business was going well. Closing the gate was never an option. He wanted someone who would keep CMR as it is, with the same people, and that is why he chose Nikita.
These days Peter still drops in most weeks for a cuppa with Ronnie and the team. The rest of the time he is on the golf course.
The business
CMR Recycling
CMR stands for Commercial Mine Recyclers. From its yard and sheds in Paget, it buys and processes scrap metal for mine sites, tradespeople and locals, with pickups from Emerald to Mackay.
Copper, brass, aluminium and steel come across the weighbridge six days a week. The team sorts it, tests it and bales it on site, then sends it on to be made into something new.
Many customers have been coming for years. Some are maintenance crews clearing a mine site. Others are locals with a trailer of old cable on a Saturday morning. Everyone gets the same fair weigh.
- Started
- 2010
- People
- 24
- Yard
- Paget, Mackay
- Pickups
- Emerald to Mackay
- Open
- Six days a week
- Run by
- Ronnie Bourke
On site
A Glimpse of CMR
“When you've spent years building a business, you want someone who understands what has gone into it, respects the people, and is serious about carrying it forward properly.”