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Following a special anniversary for our technical lead Ben Styles, in December, it’s now Andy’s turn to celebrate a decade with us here at UNTHA UK.

If we put that into perspective, Andy Nadin joined the company in the year the UK held its third Olympic Games in London, and ‘Somebody that I used to know’ by Gotye earned song of the year. Remember that?

An integral part of the team with a wealth of machine and application knowledge, Andy heads up our aftersales department and is a wizard when it comes to spare and wear part queries that keep customers’ shredders running like clockwork.

Speaking about his career journey with us, Andy said: “The last 10 years has passed in a blink – I’m not really sure when this slipped by me. Our growth has been vast since I first joined the company, so to be where we are now, is a credit to all those involved. The team has expanded too – with the right people – which means the drive into work is still as enjoyable as it was all those years ago. I wonder how many people can say that about their career?”

To celebrate his decade with the company, managing director Marcus Brew presented Andy with a special UNTHA plaque.

Reflecting on Andy’s contribution to the business, Marcus added: “Andy is an extremely talented member of the team, and he’s a pleasure to be around – that’s why he’s a hit with customers and colleagues alike. He is the true definition of a hard worker, and the success in his department is an absolute credit to his level headedness, organisation, and passion for customer success. UNTHA wouldn’t be UNTHA without him.”

The ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ mantra is hitting home with more organisations than ever before. But in the eyes of many business owners, being ‘greener’ costs money. So, for facilities managers keen to minimise any expenditure and generate the best possible return – especially during times of economic uncertainty – a solid business case for new recycling machinery can be the difference between the investment going ahead, or not! Our MD, Marcus Brew, recently offered his advice to Tomorrow’s FM, but if you missed the original write-up, you can catch up here…

• Audit your materials

Know the specifics about the materials you wish to shred/compress/bale etc. What volume are you handling, how quickly do you need to get through it, and therefore what throughputs are you aiming for? This will help you to scope out the machine that fits your requirements. Think ahead a little too. Whilst you can never know what the future holds and you don’t want to invest in too large a machine unnecessarily, some additional capacity is often helpful. The same advice applies to material type, especially if processing the ‘waste’ to sell. First and foremost, the machine must be capable of handling the materials you currently need to process. But is this likely to change?  If so, it may be advisable to procure a machine that can be reconfigured, with ease, to deal with different material types.

• Define the output specification

Some facilities invest in waste handling/recycling machinery purely to reduce the size of the bulky materials they no longer have use for. Others are driven by compliance requirements (for confidential waste for instance), therefore the material will need to be processed down to a certain size. It is even possible to transform ‘waste’ into an output ‘product’ with a very defined specification. For example, commercial and industrial waste can be shredded to ensure a homogenous particle size, and consequently produce a Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF – a fossil fuel substitute). These output requirements should therefore also define the brief for potential suppliers.

• Research the market

Identify reputable manufacturers/vendors who can supply individual pieces of machinery, as well as those that can help design, source and install the entire recycling system. Whether you need a complex plant or a simple recycling line, true waste machinery experts will be able to help you map out a turnkey solution for maximum efficiency throughout every piece of kit. Don’t just take suppliers’ word for it! ‘Seeing is believing’ so ask for a working demonstration of the machinery – ideally using your own materials. This evidence will be sought after by the financial decision-maker.

• Remember non-machine considerations

Of course, the machine will need to fulfil the brief you set out for it. But wider due diligence is also important. What are the typical service intervals and to what extent is uptime likely to be affected? How much do spare and wear parts cost, and are they readily available? What level of aftersales support and training is provided, to ensure ongoing process optimisation? The answers to these questions will affect performance long into the future, meaning there’s far more than the recycling equipment itself to factor in.

• Do the maths

A business case for an investment in new capital equipment will almost always come down to the numbers. The price tag matters, of course, although different finance routes can make things more affordable. But other metrics matter too. It’s crucial to calculate ongoing wear costs as this will rapidly inflate the financial impact of the investment. Think about power consumption too – some electric-driven machines are now so energy efficient that fuel savings alone (when compared to more traditional energy-hungry equipment) will accelerate the payback period. Then there’s the possible revenue that can be generated from the sale of some recycled products, so include these projections in the numbers too.

• The environmental ‘cost’

Due to legislative and societal pressures, many businesses are increasingly incentivised to ‘be green’ because it’s the right thing to do. Whilst perhaps harder to quantify, the impact on brand reputation, customer advocacy and marketplace positioning should therefore also be stated within the business case, as well as (perhaps more importantly), the ‘cost’ of not being more environmentally efficient.

When invasive plant management specialist Environet sought to boost the operation of its green waste shredder, the organisation contacted UNTHA UK for support.

With 27 years’ experience in this niche field, Woking-based Environet sought a landfill diversion solution for materials such as Japanese Knotweed. Recognising that shredding could not only cut costs due to the machine’s volume reduction capabilities, the team wanted to go a step further and evaluate options to repurpose the organic matter to maximise its resource value. 

Having evaluated a number of different processing methods, Environet sourced a second hand UNTHA RS40 shredder from another UK business. A machine test on the operator’s site proved this four shaft machine could handle the tough input material, and produce the desired output fraction. Environet then planned to dry the material so it would become non-viable – presenting a number of new, more environmentally conscious downstream options including composting, rather than landfill disposal.

The team quickly processed tonnes of material, but shortly after encountered an operational problem – an oil leak, likely caused by a maintenance oversight during the shredder’s former operational life. 

Keen to access the best possible engineering support, Contracts Manager Sam Moss contacted UNTHA UK for manufacturer-specific assistance. “I requested a shredder inspection so that UNTHA could confirm exactly what we needed to do to repair the RS40. The location of the machine meant it was difficult to carry out the work in-situ, so two engineers visited our site to move, strip down, and clean the machine on our behalf. 

“Following a rigorous investigation, they identified the source of the leak and resolved the issue by replacing the necessary sealings, gearbox, and bearing parts. They explained every step of the process, providing future maintenance advice for our ongoing benefit – I couldn’t believe how thorough they were. They really put in a shift – from the outset I felt in very safe hands.”

Environet is now back up and running, and has direct contact with UNTHA UK – despite not originally buying the shredder from the company’s North Yorkshire HQ – if future machine optimisation, parts, or aftersales support, is needed. 

The conservation experts provide a range of invasive plant removal, management and treatment methods for commercial and residential sites across the UK, with customer names including Aldi, Persimmon, and Balfour Beatty.