Displaying items by tag: UNTHA Shredding Technology

Chile: Germany-based Sutco says that it has commissioned Chile’s first semi-automated sorting plant for circular materials. The plant has a capacity of 60,000t/yr and is equipped with technology from suppliers including UNTHA Iberica, Pellenc, UnoTech, TIG Automation and Incoserv. The facility includes a dedicated alternative fuels production line to serve the cement industry.

India: Heidelberg Materials subsidiary Zuari Cement has commissioned a 20t/hr alternative fuel (AF) production line at its 7.1Mt/yr Yerraguntla cement plant. The line includes an UNTHA XR3000C shredder. This will support continuous operations and turn waste to AF in a single step, according to Zuari Cement.

HeidelbergCement India technical director Vimal Jain said “We are passionate about driving environmental progress throughout our business, and the use of AF is one way to do that. But this waste-to-energy feedstock comes at a cost, which is why co-processing makes so much sense. When designing this plant, we needed to ensure versatility to allow for changing market conditions, and an investment in technology that makes commercial sense and is built to last.”

Turkey: Austria-based Untha has started a new subsidiary in Istanbul called Untha Türkiye. The shredder manufacturer said that it had sold a number of machines to Turkish operators, particularly in the waste to energy market. However, it has responded to demand from customers for local support.

Taner Topcu will manage the new subsidiary with support from Yusa Özbek as the service and aftersales manager. Untha’s head of global sales, Peter Streinik, and chief financial officer, Andrea Gratzer, have also joined as directors.

Japan: Austria-based Untha has awarded an exclusive distribution agreement in Japan to Axia. The distributor has taken delivery of a mobile Untha XR shredder for use as a demonstration unit at its customer sites and ordered six more models.

Axia CEO Kazunori Kawata said “China’s ban on waste plastic imports means Japan has sharpened up on its domestic recycling capabilities. The introduction of Untha’s engineering experience will really disrupt the market. Operators are starting to think differently about machine reliability, throughputs and lifecycle costs. As a nation, we must increase our productivity and capacity, and we need a different class of machine to be able to do this – one that is highly configurable, versatile and built to last. Output precision is also crucial.” He added “If Japan is to enhance its commitment to the environment, it is important that we seek to use energy efficient technologies within our waste and recycling facilities. Renowned globally for using 75% less energy than competitors’ diesel-hydraulic machines, the Untha XR shredder doesn’t just improve the net carbon impact of the process – it keeps fuel costs low, too. Some customers have been known to save US$135,000/yr in fuel costs alone.”

Costa Rica: Geocycle Costa Rica has commissioned a XR3000C type shredder supplied by Austria-based Untha. The unit will be used to process locally sorted municipal solid waste (MSW) and hazardous and non-hazardous Industrial Solid Waste (ISW) into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for use at Holcim Costa Rica’s integrated cement plant.

“Having worked with Untha in other countries, the XR3000C was chosen for its flexibility, high-capacity and single step alternative fuel capabilities. We also knew it would be supported by a world-class engineering team,” said Geocycle’s general manager Wilkie Mora Bolanos.

Geocycle is the waste processing subsidiary of Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim. There are currently over 20 Untha shredders in operation in Geocycle facilities worldwide.

Argentina: LafargeHolcim waste management subsidiary Geocycle has begun shredding waste at its Córdoba co-processing plant using a new Untha XR3000C one-step shredder supplied by Austria-based Untha. The shredder will produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for use at LafargeHolcim’s Córdoba cement plant. It is the 10th Untha shredder Geocycle has commissioned.

Director Mariano Bollo said, “Geocycle Argentina is no stranger to waste shredding for alternative fuel (AF) production. We previously used a dual-shaft machine manufactured by a competitor of Untha’s, but the capacity and reliability of our machine continued to cause us problems. Untha’s low speed, high torque drive means this is a powerful machine with impressive uptime, ease of maintenance and proven capabilities. This – combined with the shredder’s versatility – meant the business case to switch to an XR was strong. While we think carefully about every decision we make, to ensure each shredder we invest in has absolutely the right configuration for every single plant, we now run a number of Untha machines across our global group,” continued Mariano. “The whole life operating costs of this shredder are extremely low, which means we can consistently produce a profitable, environmentally-sound fuel. It therefore comes as little surprise that we’re looking to standardise the technology we use across our business. This has benefits when it comes to procuring and sharing spare and wear parts too. Working in collaboration with Untha’s local engineering specialists, Geocycle is now optimising the design and layout of the waste processing line to double throughputs in early 2021. This XR investment aligns with our global AF production strategy, which doesn’t just improve our cement manufacturing footprint worldwide – it transforms the environmental status of our local communities too.”

Austria: Untha has announced the supply of an Untha XR3000C mobil-e primary shredder to Austrian Tyre Processes. The supplier says that the model’s twin 132kW motors produce refuse-derived fuel of a homogenous 50mm size, suitable for further processing into a cement fuel additive.

Its director of global business development Gary Moore said, “With the world’s raw materials rapidly depleting – and businesses and consumers alike demanding more environmentally responsible solutions – this is a fantastic example of clever engineering and innovative thinking coming together to change the face of the industry.”

Spain: Switzerland-based LafargeHolcim subsidiary Geocycle has commissioned an UNTHA XR3000C shredder at its Albox waste processing plant in Almeria. The 15,000t/yr shredder will process domestically-produced commercial and industrial waste, including oil- and solvent-contaminated textiles, plastics, paper and cardboard, into fuel suitable for co-processing at any of LafargeHolcim’s five Spanish cement plants. Geocycle Operations Manager Raúl Lannegrand said, “Co-processing is recognised by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Basel Convention and the European Commission as a practical, cost-efficient, safe and environmentally-preferred waste treatment method, so it was important for us to make the most of the landfill diversion opportunity we had identified in Spain.”

Australia: Waste processer Focus Enviro receiving bookings for attendance at a demonstration of its new Untha XR Mobil-e shredder at its plant in Melbourne, Australia, on 20 February 2020. The new shredder will shred residual waste, wood waste and tyres, as might be expected in a cement industry AF application, with Focus Enviro and Untha employees on hand to answer questions. Untha director Gary Moore said, “With high throughputs, low whole life running costs and unrivalled energy efficiency, the XR has revolutionised the industry’s approach to waste shredding for production of RDF.” Bookings can be made by email.

UK: Germany-based shredders supplier Untha has reported that it has recieved an order from Lancashire Waste Recycling for an Untha XR3000XC for its Burnley line, where it produced solid recovered fuel (SRF) for the cement industry. The plant already operates with an XR3000C and an XR3000XC, while Lancashire Waste Recycling’s Fleetwood plant uses an XR2000 pre-shredder, an XR3000C and an XR3000XC.