Our Team and History

Bantam Materials International was formed in Montreal, Canada in 2005 by Vytas Gruodis, a career materials distribution executive with over 25 years of experience in global trade. We offer the full depth of our industry knowledge and technical expertise to meet our customers’ exacting requirements for recycled raw materials.

In 2011, Bantam Materials UK Ltd opened its London, UK office managed by director Raffi Schieir, MBA, a 15-year finance and international business development professional. Bantam UK’s mandate is to bring premium, regulated recycled raw materials to key European markets through a commitment to understanding customer needs.

In 2014, we opened a full time Bantam office in Costa Rica, allowing us to maintain a higher level of proximity to and control over numerous key supply points.

In 2016 Vytas and Raffi jointly opened Bantam EU in Dublin carrying the same mandate as Bantam UK.

Vytas and Raffi take immense pride in the skilled team assembled to audit and coordinate supply in order to serve our customers in high volumes. Vytas and Raffi also take pride in providing a level of face-to-face communication that is unique in the market.

Most importantly, we go to work each day knowing that our activities have a direct and immediate impact on preventing waste plastic from reaching the ocean, as well as providing a guaranteed life-sustaining income for families in poverty.

Our Team

Raffi Schieir, MBA

Director, Europe
Mobile: +44 (0) 758 577 4491
Email: raffi.schieir@bantaminc.com

Michelle Khodabacksh

Logistics Manager, Europe
Email: michelle@bantamltd.com

Natasha Ward

Information & Development Manager, Europe
Email: natasha.ward@bantamltd.com

Jordan Menec

Logistics Coordinator, Europe
Email: jordan.menec@bantamltd.com

Kirsten Thompson

Office Coordinator, Europe
Email: kirsten.thompson@bantamltd.com

Cheryl Yusuf

Finance Manager, Europe
Email: cheryl.yusuf@bantamltd.com

Vytas Gruodis

Director, North America
Mobile: +1 514 418 2528
Email: vytas.gruodis@bantaminc.com

William Tretiak

CEO, North America
Email: william.tretiak@bantaminc.com

Carolina Velarde

COO, North America
Email: carolina.velarde@bantaminc.com

Katya Cornejo

Inside Sales & Freight Specialist, North America
Email: katya.cornejo@bantaminc.com

Ericka Crespo

Logistics Coordinator at Origin, North America
Email: ericka.crespo@bantaminc.com

Juliana Ortiz

Logisitics Documents Coordinator at Origin, North America
Email: documentsorigin@bantaminc.com

Marirose Dacuycuy

Logistics at Destination, North America
Email: rose@bantaminc.com

London

Richmond, United Kingdom

Montreal

Quebec, Canada

Dublin

Republic of Ireland