By Fiona Cooper

Staff at an electrical recycling plant will be able to sweat off the stresses of the working day - in a work's sauna.

Sittingbourne-based SWEEEP is also planning to offer showers and flower-covered pagodas for its workforce after teaming up with Finnish company, Kuusakoski OY, in a multi-million pound joint venture.

The business will be known as SWEEEP Kuusakoski - and have a definite Finnish feel.

SWEEEP managing director Patrick Watts, said: "For Finns, saunas are not a luxury but a necessity as part of a healthy lifestyle. Indeed, before the rise of public healthcare, almost all Finnish mothers gave birth in saunas but that won't be something we'll be encouraging in Sittingbourne!

"SWEEEP, established three years ago and with 150-plus employees, recycles more than 4,000 televisions and monitors and more than 180 tons of other electrical waste each day at the plant.

Mr Pratt said he believed the investment by Kuusakoski would allow the business to grow and expand.

"At SWEEEP, we are passionate about the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) recycling process and that philosophy is very much shared by Kuusakoski, probably the world's leading experts in WEEE recycling and non-ferrous metals," he said.

"Together, we offer 43 years experience in e-waste. By going into partnership with Kuusakoski, we are laying the foundations for the future growth of the business and that can only be good for our growing workforce here in Sittingbourne."