Materials handlers focus on waste sector

JCB, the brand synonymous with backhoe loaders and which earlier this year passed a major milestone with the production of the Staffordshire-based manufacturer's 500,00th machine, is as well-known now in the waste handling sector as in construction, agriculture and industry. LAWE reports on two recent applications of JCB equipment on waste sites


As visitors to the CIWM Torbay event in June will have seen JCB is one of several leading materials handling equipment suppliers who are geared up to meet the specialised requirement of the constantly expanding waste handling and management, recycling and municipal markets.

The company produces a range of tailor-made waste handling equipment- including backhoe loaders, Robot skid steers, Teletruks, Loadall telescopic handlers, Wastemaster wheeled loading shovels, wheeled and tracked excavators, dump trucks and Fastracs, used in various applications such as waste-to -energy , MRFs, in addition to traditional civic amenity sites, kerbside collection reception centres, waste transfer stations, green waste composting centres and landfill sites.

Wheeling into waste

In one recent example of applications in this sector, SITA UK, a leading operator in the UK waste and recycling industry, has added to its fleet with the delivery of nine JCB JS160W wheeled excavators for use on sites across Lancashire and Yorkshire.

The machines join other JCBs in the 2,200 overall SITA fleet, in particular JCB loading shovels at waste transfer stations. The new JS160Ws are employed seven days a week on civic amenity sites compacting waste into containers to allow for increased payload.

For SITA’s Dave Milburn, who is in charge of ensuring the new additions to the fleet make the right contribution, the key issue is their seven days-a-week working and all that that implies. He said: “Working seven days a week means that excellent support and back up are essential as you have no room for downtime while something’s being fixed. This is why we bought JCBs, because we have historical experience of them and in particular, we know and trust the dealer network. Obviously, with any machine working under that sort of pressure, you can get the odd niggly thing go wrong, so the crucial thing is to know that you can things put right in the time.

“With the JCB dealer network I am comfortable that if we do have any problems, they will be recognised and rectified quickly.”

Secondary materials handling
In another example of the use of the company’s product line, Viridor Waste Management has purchased a JCB 456 HT Wastemaster to ensure it stays on track towards its goal of UK recognition as an exemplary secondary materials manager.
The Wastemaster, which represents an investment of over £100,000, is working in the company’s Salmon Pastures transfer station in Sheffield, loading vehicles for Viridor – a major operator in the recycling and re-use of waste.

The UK generates over 403 million tonnes of waste each year and Viridor Waste Management operates nationwide providing dry and wet waste collection, landfill disposal and restoration and recycling services. It has a fleet of 287 vehicles taking payloads of up to 16 tonnes, and it operates 21 landfills, including 13 generating “green electricity” from landfill gas. On the recycling side it is the UK’s leading reprocessor of flat glass and serves municipal and private sector clients with integrated recycling and waste management facilities.

Although an existing customer of JCB JS excavators and 436 machines, this is Viridor Waste Management’s first 456 Wastemaster. The machine, which has a bucket capacity of 4.3m3, is designed to provide greater control due to the four-cylinder loader arm design. The attachments offer a variety of controlling methods, with a choice of forks, grapples or loading arms, suitable for a range of materials.
General Manager of Viridor Waste Management, Gary Lee, said: “I have had good experiences with JCB in the past and their salespeople know what they are talking about. There were different machines on the demo we had and the operatives liked the JCB set up best.”

He added: “Product price is also important to us and here the JCB proved a good proposition as well. The machine was purchased from Sheffield-based dealer, T C Harrison – JCB, which offers prompt local product support.”

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