Timothy Byrne
Geesinknorba, Europe’s leading manufacturer of waste collection and waste transfer equipment, takes the lead in the Nordic waste management market. The Nordic branch, known as Geesinknorba AB, has existed since the amalgamation of Geesink Emmeloord and Norba AB of Blomstermåla when Powell Duffryn acquired Norba in 2000. The branch is responsible for the sales of new equipment as well as an after sales and parts service for Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland. The branch also used to be responsible for the sales of new equipment and for providing an after sales and parts service for the Baltic and Danish markets but today, these two markets are managed by Geesinknorba’s Head Quarters in Emmeloord-Netherlands. Based on a change and transaction of a customer base that work across the Nordic boarders will also changes be made for next coming years to expand the responsibilities for GeesinkNorba AB.
Geesinknorba AB supplies 50percentof waste collection and waste transfer equipment into the Nordic market, which serves a population of 22million people. The branch supplies the popular Norba N and MF series brands as well as Geesinknorba’s GPM Mini range for the collection of waste in tight and narrow access areas. Geesinknorba’s G series brand in KT2 format is also supplied with a roof mounted crane for emptying underground waste collection containers, in conjunction with the Molok container collection system. The Rossi brand of satellite waste collection vehicles is also offered by the branch as another option for use in collecting waste in difficult access areas.
Thomas Thuresson, Branch Manager for Geesinknorba AB,says, “I started as branch manager in 2011 and since this time I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience of the Nordic waste management market.”He went onto explain that his vision of the future is to increase the sales of Geesinknorba’s Norba and Geesink brands to more than 50percentof the total number of waste collection vehicles sold across the Nordic region. Currently the branch has 95percentmarket share of sales of waste collection vehicles to Iceland. The branch’s most popular brand is the Norba N and MF series due to the historical legacy of Norba originating from Sweden, with the majority of private and public waste management companies having experience in using the product for many decades. Thomas explained that of the largest orders for units that the branch had received to date was in December 2018 for the delivery of a mixture of 26Norba N and MF series units complete with Geesinknorba’s popular L200 bin lifting equipment. The lifters will also be fitted with RFID bin weighing equipment.
Thomas further said, “Geesinknorba’s LI-On Power hybrid waste collection vehicle units are also popular in the Nordic waste management market. In 2018, the branch delivered 38units to Stockholm. The branch has also delivered six LI-On Power Pro – full electric – units to Norwegian publicly owned waste management company BIR Transport AS, which collects and manages waste in the city of Bergen-Norway.”
All of the Geesinknorba units supplied to the Nordic market are manufactured at the company’s Emmeloord facilities and are then transported by road to Kalmar for mounting onto local Euro 6 diesel, synthetic diesel or compressed natural gas (CNG) powered chassis. Thomas stated that there are a number of advantages to this: Nordic waste management clients ask for many variations of optional extras to be fitted onto their waste collection vehicles to suit local market conditions. Some of these are 360 degrees all round camera systems, rear view camera reversing systems, axle weight load cells, sack carrier box for fitment on both the offside and the nearside of the RCV’S tailgate, boxes for the storage of grit, salt and tools, chain systems for the vehicle’s wheels for wintry conditions, lidded box for the storage of bags to suit the Molok underground waste collection system and dust extractor with curtains to provide a dustless waste collection system. Another option is the modification of the L500 bin lift to suit the width of different waste containers used with the Norba MF series product. The multi fraction pod fitted to N and MF series units is also manufactured in Finland, keeping the industry within the Nordic region. Finally, the mountings for the fitment of roof mounted cranes are also carried out at Kalmar so, in short, every refuse vehicle unit constructed is bespoke built. Customers regularly visit the Kalmar production plant to see their vehicles in construction and to request where the vehicle’s optional extras are mounted on the sides of its chassis. Customers also request where they want the in-cab monitor positioned for the rear-view camera system. Another advantage to the mounting of units in Kalmar is that it helps the local economy with the creation of jobs.
Thomas stated that a big part of the business is after-sales due to the geographical size of Sweden and Norway. Geesinknorba AB work with their clients in these two countries to arrange service and preventative maintenance to be carried out by local companies who customers have experience and current working relationships. Quick fix kits are despatched from Kalmar to these service agents so that vehicles can be kept on the road to prevent operational downtime. On the delivery of each new Geesinknorba unit to these clients, a new Quick fix kit is despatched to the service partners. When parts are used out of the kits, they can be replenished with replacement parts within 24 hours by Geesinknorba Kalmar once they have been notified by the service partner. Safely stickers for the safe and maintenance free use of each unit are specially printed by the branch and positioned in both the cab and on the tailgate lower buttons so that operatives can read them while driving, loading and discharging the waste collection vehicle. This helps to keep the unit in clean and safe working order.
To complete circularity, for the Li-On Power Pro (Fully electrical units) the Nordic branch is also offering the customers to take old vehicles and removing the body from the chassis. The chassis is then refurbished, e.g. shot blasted and repainted, and the cab interior, e.g. the drivers’ and passengers’ seats are reupholstered, the rear-view camera screen is either replaced or upgraded if required, and a more modern radio/DVD player is fitted inside the cab. The cab is externally repainted too. The chassis cab is rebuilt and fitted with an electric motor and then fitted with a new Geesinknorba N, MF or G series unit. The complete rebuild of the chassis and the replacement of its diesel engine with an electric powered unit and fitted with a new Geesinknorba rear loading unit helps the branch to play its part in the circular economy.
Clean Mat Trucks BV, the Dutch waste collection vehicle hire company, also has a division based in the Nordic region known as Clean Mat Trucks Nordic AB. The division has five Norba N series units which it hires to private and public sector waste management companies across the region. The units are based at Geesinknorba AB’s Kalmar facility ready and available for short, medium- or long-term hire.
To offer a total waste management package, Thomas concluded by saying that, the branch also sells and markets the Kiggen brand of portable and static compactors recently selling the first unit, a Kiggen PD745 portable compactor into the market. Gergen skip and hook loaders are also sold and BIR Transport AS of Bergen-Norway currently has a Gergen hook loader unit on order awaiting delivery. Finally, the branch also markets the Boschung S2 street sweeper range across the region. In conclusion, Geesinknorba AB provides a total one stop shop waste management package for the Nordic waste management market, supported by its first class after sales, service and parts back up service. The company promotes and delivers sustainable waste management solutions to this market both for the present and the future.
Timothy Byrne B.Sc. (Wastes Management), MCIWM, ISWA IWM, is a worldwide waste collection and transfer systems consultant and a freelance waste management technical writer based in Birmingham, UK. He has worked in the waste management industry for 20 years. He lives in the UK and has carried out a lot of work and research into waste collection and waste transfer systems in Mediterranean countries. He has also visited New Delhi to carry out research into waste collection and waste transfer systems in India’s capital city. He can be reached at 0044 1384 211001 or 0044 7545 616110 or via e-mail at [email protected].