Running an electric machine, as opposed to a diesel machine typically cuts operational in half and maintenance costs to less than half.
By Uwe Kausch
Driving into MBL Recycling’s facility in Palatine, IL, one would not have a clue as to what is being done inside of their buildings. Located in a light industrial area, the street out front is clean and quiet. However, inside of MBL’s facility lies a state-of-the-art, high volume, demolition and construction waste recycling facility. In 2005, Rob Lenzini and his family saw a need for a recycling facility that would serve the northern suburbs of Chicago. Like almost all areas of the country, especially in urban areas, landfills were and are continuing to be closed or instituting restrictions on what can be dumped there. State regulations have been enacted to force municipalities and private contractors to recycle as much waste as possible. This is where companies like MBL come in.
Separating the Materials
The main problem with recycling construction and demolition waste is coming up with an economical and safe means of separating the materials, so that they can be sent to other facilities for processing this material as a secondary product (waste wood to wood shavings for example) or using the product as raw material in making new material (plastics and metal). Over the last 20 years or so, much progress has been made in developing sophisticated sorting systems to sort like materials into their respective collecting bins. Most facilities still use some manual labor to sort, although robotics are on the horizon to also take over at least some of this task. MBL is no exception and has invested significant dollars in making their facility a state-of-the-art operation.
Traditionally, diesel powered, hydraulic excavators have been used, with either a bucket/thumb combination or a grapple, to help with some remedial sorting, downsizing and loading this material into feed hoppers. The main issues operators have with these machines is that when working in dusty, enclosed environments like this, they tend to overheat, due to dust clogging their air filters. This requires significant maintenance to ensure these machines are kept running. Typically, these excavators have their engine lives shortened significantly in this environment. The other issue they face is that many of these operations have now gone indoors. Most recycling facilities have traditionally been located in industrial areas or on the fringes of cities and towns. However, with urban renewal of industrial areas and urban sprawl, these facilities are now surrounded by more residential and retail businesses, many of whom do not want to hear or see recycling facilities out in the open. EPA regulations have also forced many recycling facilities indoors, to keep air particulates and/or run-off a minimum. Running diesel powered excavators in an enclosed facility presents other issues, in that they give off carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and other harmful emissions.
Stationary Electric Versus a Diesel Powered Machine
This is where Builtrite Manufacturing (Two Harbors, MN) came into play. Builtrite has been designing and manufacturing stationary electric material handlers since the late 1980s. John Anderson, Builtrite’s founder, saw a need for a stationary electric material handler, working in waste transfer stations, to help load and compress/tamp solid waste into semi-trailers that were being sent to landfills, to ensure a full load each trip. Builtrite still builds and sells into this market today. However, over time, other applications have developed, including customers handling construction and demolition waste, scrap recycling applications, log handling, etc. The advantages of using a stationary electric over a diesel powered machine is that the electric power unit can be separated from the machine itself, so it can be located away from the dusty environment. Since electric motors do not require air for combustion like diesel motors do, there are no air filters to replace. Since electric motors do not emit harmful emissions, they can safely be used indoors. Because they are bolted to the floor, there are no tires or tracks to replace. Lastly, running an electric machine, as opposed to a diesel machine typically cuts operational costs in half and cuts maintenance costs to less than half.
Wes Jones, Builtrite Manufacturing’s Regional Sales Manager, first met Lenzini while the company was installing a smaller machine at Taylor’s Wood Shavings in 2016. MBL Recycling delivers waste wood to Taylor’s Wood Shavings, who grinds it down to make animal bedding.
MBL realized the advantages of using a stationary electric, causing Lenzini to contact Builtrite. Lenzini visited Builtrite several times at their factory and was impressed with what they had to offer and decided to move forward. Jones, along with Builtrite engineers, determined that the Model 2300-SE would be best suited for MBL Recycling. Lenzini had some specific features and parameters for the Builtrite team to address, including a custom boom and the desire to use a fixed style, demolition grapple. First, the Builtrite team collected all of the information from MBL and then made a proposal drawing, customized for their facility. After feedback from the MBL team, several changes were made and the green light was given to produce the machine. “What I liked best about dealing with Builtrite was their willingness to listen to my specific application and suggestions on what it would take to produce a machine that will work well at my facility,” Lenzini. “We decided to have the power unit moved off the machine and placed on the other side of our sorting hopper, keeping it away from most of the dust, incorporating an auto lube system to reduce wear, maintenance and downtime and having a stairway access to the cab. I also wanted a machine made in the U.S.”
Successful Performance
In service since May 2018, Lenzini has seen significant savings on daily maintenance, since the air filters and engine oil do not need to be changed.
Says Lenzini, “After using the 2300-SE now since May, they checked all the boxes. I am very pleased with the performance of my machine.”
Uwe Kausch is VP Marketing of Customer Service and Business Development for Builtrite Manufacturing (Twin Harbors, MN). He can be reached at (218) 595-6165 or e-mail [email protected]. To watch a video showing the 2300-SE in operation, visit www.youtube.com/ watch?v=FtO0C2OSrbQ&t=14s. For more information, call (218) 834-5555 or visit www.builtrite.com.