Weightron Bilanciai expands and launches new system

The growing demand for sophisticated solutions to weighing waste and recycled materials is stimulating innovation from both weighbridge and weighing-on-board systems manufacturers and systems providers. LAWE reports on a strategy for expansion plus a new product at a leading European manufacturing group


As part of its strategic expansion, Chesterfield based weighing specialist, Weightron Bilanciai has acquired Westco Ltd (Western Counties Scale Co Ltd).

Weightron is part of the international Bilanciai Group, headquartered in Modena, Italy, one of Europe’s leading designer and supplier of weighbridges and weighing scales. Work is under way to double the size of the Chesterfield manufacturing site to meet increased demand.

Weightron Director and Founder, Ray Catt, commenting on the acquisition, said: “Mergers and acquisitions are often done solely for apparent commercial reasons, with scant regard for customers and employees. This is certainly not the case with the acquisition of Westco which is part of a clear strategic focus. It not only strengthens our position geographically in the UK market but also brings together a strong blend of skills, expertise and product innovation.

“It is fully in line with an ongoing programme of growth for the Bilanciai Group throughout Europe, USA and the Middle East. We are confident that the bringing together of two leading weighing companies, each with its own special expertise and market knowledge, has significant benefits for customers in terms of service and support.”

He added: “Westco have a well established service base and this consolidates our service capabilities throughout the UK, allowing us to expand our share of the important National Service Contracts business. It also gives us the critical mass to expand our activities across a growing number of industries. Although weighbridges are at the core of our business, we are looking to focus on new market areas including food and beverage, chemicals pharmaceuticals and agriculture ”
Westco’s Managing Director, Colin Hayman, sees clear benefits for both his company and Weightron. “The strength of the Bilanciai Group brings increased credibility to Westco and this will allow us to expand our business in key market areas. I am in no doubt that customers will benefit from the pooling of knowledge and increased support. Our diversification and flexibility complement Weightron’s growing reputation in the UK market.”

On the product front, Weightron Bilanciai, have also been making the news with the launch of a comprehensive weighing terminal designed to speed up waste handling at remote sites.

Designed for the monitoring of remote unmanned waste disposal sites, the Self800, which has been specifically designed to speed up the handling of waste deliveries and collections, is suitable for a diverse range of weighing equipment including small floor scales for weighing domestic waste, axle weighers and conventional weighbridges. Full “legal for trade” approval ensures compliance with the latest 90/384 European Directive for non-automatic weighing machines.

The unit provides a complete waste management handling system which is designed to be easy to use by operators. Flexibility is the key to the success of the Self800 and Weightron Bilanciai believes that its experience and expertise in this area have ensured every eventuality is covered in the design.

For domestic waste, the units are coin operated while for commercial applications access is via a designated swipe card. The large touch control back-lit LCD display provides clear information and the comprehensive search facility allows operators simple and quick access to the relevant data.

The unit recognises registered hauliers and individual vehicle information including tare weights, registration details and patterns in waste deliveries. Multi compartmental – multi product vehicles are also covered by the design.

Single & double weighing

There are essentially two modes of operation, single weighing and double weighing. For vehicles not registered in the data base for a particular site, the driver stops the vehicle on the weighbridge, swipes the card and the terminal issues a ticket with the inbound weight data. After loading or unloading has taken place, the driver returns to the weighbridge and having swiped the card again, receives a ticket automatically calculating the weight of waste delivered or collected. In the single weighing mode, when a card for a “known vehicle” is swiped, the terminal retrieves previously stored data relating to that vehicle’s registration number and tare weight. Using this information, the terminal then issues a ticket showing the calculated net weight of waste being delivered or collected, thereby removing the need for a second weighing. The terminal also has the facility to control vehicle access via traffic lights and stop barriers.

The Self800 can be networked for use in multiple weigh point applications in a conventional master- slave configuration. The unit can also be linked to Weightron’s standard D800 weight indicators or PC via the serial link.

Comprehensive management data can be stored and retrieved to provide full journal reports of waste activity either on site or at a remote central location. The optional Ethernet card and standard modem allow remote access for retrieval of data and set up. The robust stainless steel outer enclosure has a lockable display cover to deter vandalism.

Designed for use with both digital and analogue load cells the new unit is suitable for new and existing applications.

Guernsey installation

Three Eurodeck weighbridges supplied by Weightron Bilanciai are carrying out vital tasks for Ronez Ltd at two separate locations on the island of Guernsey.
Two weighbridges have been installed at the company’s Monmains Yard near St Sampsons Harbour on the north east coast while the third is located a few miles away at their new asphalt plant at Les Vardes Quarry.

Ronez, which is part of the UK based Aggregate Industries plc, is a vertically integrated aggregate-based business and is the predominant company of its kind in the Channel Islands, producing aggregates, asphalt, pre-cast concrete products and ready mixed concrete from two principal locations in Jersey and Guernsey.

Steadily increasing demand for their products, together with the fact that the existing eight metre weighbridge was nearing the end of its useful life, had prompted Ronez to review their weighing requirements at Monmains Yard. Put into the equation was also the fact that they were planning a new asphalt plant at Les Vardes Quarry, which also needed vehicle weighing capabilities.

The weighbridge used for weighing incoming product from the quarry is fitted with the Self 800 unmanned weighing terminal.


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