EMR are in the process of installing four new fully electric Sennebogen 850 pedestal material handlers to its UK operations. It’s the latest step in a transition to electrification that will power the business’s path to becoming a net-zero recycler by 2040.
The material handlers are being installed at EMR sites in Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield and Edmonton. The first having been installed and fully operational at EMR Birmingham and Liverpool. For John Burks, the company’s Director of the Northern Region, this is just the beginning of a far more comprehensive programme of investment:
“We’ve started our journey towards the use of electric material handlers for processing operations within our sites. The four being installed now are only the first steps in that journey as we move away from traditional diesel powered handling equipment and towards clean electric technology for good.”
The investment in these state-of-the-art material handlers is, John adds, only possible because of the long-term commitment EMR has made to ensure its operations are ready for a world which demands that recyclers are both cleaner and greener.
However, a task this scale is not something that can happen overnight and EMR’s track record of reinvesting profits and planning ahead is a substantial market advantage that will pay off for decades to come.
“The initial cost of installing an electric crane works out to be around 40 percent more expensive than just buying a new diesel powered machine. However, the long term benefits of our move to electric cranes far outweigh the initial investment cost. The green energy benefits that comes with the move to electric are complimented by these machines having a significantly longer lifespan than traditional cranes, reducing the future carbon and cost burden equipment replacement.’’
“It’s only because of EMR’s size, stability and strength that we’re able to take decisions like these which will pay off further down the line,” John adds.
The delivery of the Sennebogen 850 material handlers follows a busy year of investment in electrification for EMR.
In January 2021, the company revealed it had installed an innovative medium voltage/low voltage (LV/MV) inverter to increase the power efficiency of the shredder at its Willesden recycling facility in north London.
Then, in spring, EMR’s Liverpool Alexandra Docks unveiled its huge new Sennebogen 895e hybrid crane, capable of handling 400 tonnes of recycled metal per hour.
And, last autumn, the business announced an investment in new JCB 35-22e electric teletrucks, which can operate for up to eight hours with 80 percent battery charge.
While the arrival of the new Sennebogen pedestal cranes will maintain this momentum into 2022, John believes it will also come with a new set of challenges for the business.
“As with all new equipment at EMR, it will only become fully operational after a period of rigorous preparation. We will need to train staff as well as resetting our operating behaviours. It will take time to settle that down and get our teams used to a new way of working.”
These new material handlers are being attached to fixed processing equipment so that they can operate in fully electric mode. This means further investment in the infrastructure on the four sites involved.
“We are investing a significant amount of time, effort and investment as we move towards our net zero target, however, the benefits to the business are clear. The arrival of these electric pedestal material handlers will ensure that EMR continues to deliver market-leading standards and processes across our whole business,” John says, adding:
“We could have chosen the easy option, but this is the solution which shows we’re truly committed to sustainability and investing in the latest, most efficient, technology.”
The lessons learned in the next twelve months will provide guidance for 2023 when six further electric pedestal cranes arrive at EMR sites, contributing towards the transition of EMR into a net-zero recycler as set out Our Decade of Action strategy.
“This is a step change for the business and one our teams are excited to take,” Burks adds.