Vehicle builders in major moves

Making news at the end of January was MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG of Munich, which

acquired Cheshire-based ERF (Holdings) plc from Western Star Truck Holdings

Ltd, a Canadian company producing commercial vehicles.

In another financial move tip gear manufacturer Hyva (UK) Ltd, of Irlam,

Manchester, reports that all shares in its Dutch parent company, Hyva Beheer

BV, have been transferred to an international group of investors headed by

Alpha Beteiligungs GmbH in Frankfurt. The group plans further acquisitions

in the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors.

Focus on waste market

Partek Cargotec Ltd, of Ellesmere, Shropshire, recently announced a major

change in the structure of its UK operation with plans to establish Norba

RCV bodies ­ one of its three product lines ­ as a separate company, Norba

Ltd.

Partek Cargotec Managing Director, David Gardner, explained that the

customer was the key factor in this change. “The Norba customer base comes

from one area – waste management. Norba Ltd can offer a specialist service

to the niche market of waste management.”

The new company will be a direct subsidiary of Norba AB, Sweden, and will be

operation from 1 April, 2000. Eugene Wenger, current product line manager

for Norba, will be appointed to take full operational responsibility for

Norba activities in the UK. The new company will continue to operate from

Partek Cargotec’s Ellesmere site and facilities.

Partek Cargotec’s other two brands, Hiab mounted cranes and Multilift

demountable body systems, will continue to be part of Partek Cargotec Ltd.

Chassis for sweepers

The close partnership between chassis manufactures and specialist body and

vehicle builders in the waste and sweeper markets is illustrated in the

design of the latest model from Scarab, the Monic 4000 compact, heavy-duty,

truck-mounted road sweeper employing the hydraulic drive concept.

The Scarab Monic 400 with Omnidrive follows the Kent-based manufacturer’s “single-engined philosophy.”

In essence, Scarab says it has taken the ISUZU NQR 7.5 tonne GVW chassis and

replaced the conventional clutch and gearbox with the Scarab Omnidrive

system.

The Scarab Omnidrive has two modes of operation, selected by a single switch

on the cab’s control console. The first is for conventional drive, with a

top speed of 88kmph. The second gives infinite speed control from zero to

25kmph for sweeping.

Complementing the Omnidrive system, the narrow width of 2,150mm and the 7.5

tonne GVW of the ISUZU NQR chassis allows Scarab to incorporate features

such as a 4.2m3 body, with a payload of around 2,750kg, and a 900 litre

water tank. The Monic 4000 is offered with dual sweep as standard equipment.

The 4.7 litre, four cylinder, OHC, Turbo inter-cooled diesel produces 143

bhp at

2,300 rpm.

Water and rail options

In parallel with technical developments on the road transport front,

water-borne and rail freight offer environmentally attractive and

competitive alternatives for bulk waste movement.

The carriage of London generated waste by Thames barge to disposal sites

downriver attracted praise in a recent debate in the House of Lords. ³Waste

disposal has been a commercial success story so far as the Thames is

concerned,” said Lord Greenway, who added, “In total, more than 800,000

tonnes ­ over 20% ­ of London’s rubbish is moved by river every year,

equating to over 100,000 lorry movements.”

He also told the House that Cory Environmental, which transports around

600,000 tonnes a year of waste downriver – from Western Riverside, the City

of London and Tower Hamlets, “will be forced to close down its site at

Mucking in October 2002. That was the deadline set originally by the GLC.

Cory has tried to extend it, so far without success, but after two public

enquiries Essex County Council is adamant that it does not want any more of

London’s rubbish.”

Lord Greenway said: “I believe that a realistic, co-ordinated and

sustainable waste strategy is needed urgently if London is to resolve its

impending waste crisis.”

Canal feasibility study

The separate, pilot scheme to transport waste by barge on the Lee Navigation

in East London, to London Waste¹s canalside incineration plant at Edmonton,

which was announced last June, is about to enter the feasibility study

stage.

Rail freight of waste appears to be gaining ground, mainly through special

container trains run by English Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS) for a range

of public and private sector customers. At the last count EWS reported that

it was moving 1.5 million tonnes annually of municipal and commercial waste

to a growing number of rail-connectable landfill sites, transfer stations

and waste management facilities, and there is also a growing market in

recyclable materials. EWS quoted leading users including ARC, Avon Waste

Management, City of Edinburgh, Greater Manchester Waste, Greenways, Shanks

and UK Waste.