News

Resource management company Wastewise, an FCC Environment company, has added the first CASE 651G wheel loader in the UK to its fleet of equipment working at an organic waste reprocessing site near Crewe, in Cheshire.

 

The machine joins a fleet of CASE wheel loaders at the facility, that includes a 1021G XR and two 721G XR shovels. It replaces a third 721G XR, offering similar productivity in a smaller, more compact package, which is proving ideal for the busy recycling plant where its additional manoeuvrability makes it more productive overall.

The 651G was designed to fill the gap between the 621G and the 721G. Based on the smaller model, with the same 128kW (172hp) engine, the slightly heavier 651G boasts increased loader performance, reinforced front and rear chassis sections and heavy-duty axles, that can be supplied with a choice of differential options. Running primarily on slippery concrete, Wastewise has taken the machine with limited slip differentials in both axles, to maximise traction when travelling and when digging into the recycled material.

The hinge pin height is 100mm higher and the XR (extended reach) machines have longer loader arms, for additional loading clearance into bulk trailer, while a new curved bucket offers improved material retention. Other waste specification items include reversible cooling fans, venturi effect air filtration, reversing cameras and radar systems. The larger 1021G has also been equipped with a radar dynamic automatic braking system, to prevent the machine from reversing into unseen obstacles.

 

The site near Crewe takes garden and food waste from local councils in Cheshire East, Greater Manchester, Derby City, Staffordshire Moorland and Wigan, delivered by a combination of RCVs and walking-floor bulk trailers operated by the company and by third-party hauliers. With additional sites in Willerby, East Riding of Yorkshire and in Esholt near Bradford, the company recycles around 250,000 tonnes of organic waste each year, converting organic waste into high quality organic soil improvers, growing media and topsoils through a combination of In-Vessel and Open Windrow Composting.

 

The fleet of wheel loaders, along with a raised-cab wheeled materials handler, are used to move organic material through the entire process and finally onto outgoing articulated trucks as PAS100 soil improver destined for agricultural and horticultural markets. All of the CASE equipment, along with the materials handler, have been supplied by Barnsley CASE dealer Warwick Ward on a five-year fully supported lease deal. This is the second back-to-back five-year agreement between Warwick Ward and Wastewise for the supply of wheeled machinery into the Crewe facility.

“Overall, we will have had 10 years working with Warwick Ward, which should tell you something about how well both Warwick Ward and the CASE equipment have performed over the past five years,” said Wastewise General Manager Steve Wardell.

The CASE machines are expected to operate for up to 2,400 hours a year, or 12,000 hours over the five-year period. Warwick Ward provides all service and maintenance, using CASE Site Control and Site Watch telematic services to monitor the machines in service. “The telemetry helps to reduce downtime as the fitters can diagnose potential issues off-site, ensuring that the required parts are brought first time without the need for repeat visits,” said Site Supervisor Daniel Green. “All of the regular maintenance is completed out of hours or on Saturday, to keep operational downtime to a minimum.”

 

 

The dealer has installed fire prevention equipment on all of the machines and the loaders have been equipped with roof-mounted BMair cab filtration systems, to provide operators with a cleaner internal working environment. They have autolube systems and there are additional working lights along the side of the cab roof, to provide improved visibility in the composting tunnels. Oversize buckets have been provided to maximise the payloads of lightweight organic material.

 

Wastewise has grown into a leading resource management service provider, with three sites across the North of England. The company, along with J&B Recycling, Severn Waste Services and Merica Waste Management, was purchased by national waste and recycling giant FCC Environment in June 2024.

 

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