A COUNTY Durham manufacturer that creates outdoor furniture from recycled plastic has just completed a project for Virgin Atlantic.

Marmax Products created 20 picnic benches and a hexagonal tree seat for the airline’s head office in Crawley, near Gatwick Airport.

The Stanley-based business, which employs 20 people, made the benches in Virgin’s corporate red colours from recycled plastics, including in-flight headphone bags.

Marmax’s Tracey Scott said: “Virgin is known as a forward-thinking business and one which prides itself on being a great place to work. The company also uses recycled products wherever possible.

“Marmax furniture is totally in line with these values. The funky outdoor seating not only gives a welcoming and fun feel to the grounds of Virgin’s head office, it has saved a considerable amount of waste plastic material from going to landfill.

“Unlike wooden outdoor furniture, it is completely maintenance-free and can be left outdoors all year round without having to worry about weather damage.”

The firm, part of the Samuel Grant Group, is the market leader in producing furniture from rubbish otherwise destined for landfill.

It recently completed an order for Cadbury World in Birmingham, creating more than 50 heavy-duty picnic benches and more than 30 specially designed Bournville seats in chocolate brown.

The company also creates outdoor furniture, planters, fencing and boardwalks for customers including schools and local authorities.