Toyota Material Handling has worked with a new recycling plant to provide a greener material handling solution.
The Closed Loop recycling plant in Dagenham is a world first – the first plant to take in both PET and HDPE waste bottles and return them to food grade raw material for use in manufacturing new bottles.
Five lorry loads of baled waste that would otherwise be destined for landfill are delivered to the site each day to go through an eight stage process of sorting cleaning and sterilisation. A fleet of new Tonero forklifts from Toyota are used to unload the lorries and transport bales of flattened bottles to the conveyors for processing and to load the finished product in bags for delivery to the customer.
Fitted with bale clamps, the Toneros compress the bales to allow easy handling even when the strapping is removed.
Bryan Barnes, Production Manager explains why the Tonero is so suited to the work on site: “Unloading the lorries and bringing the bales into the plant requires the drivers to make frequent changes of direction. The Tonero is very easy to handle and the operators enjoy using it. The design of the instrument panel and overhead guard gives good all round visibility and the SAS system helps us feel confident that we are putting our drivers in one of the safest trucks around.”
Toyota’s unique System of Active Stability (SAS) helps to support the driver by “stepping in” to stabilise the truck if a potentially dangerous situation is detected. Sensors monitor the load, speed and turning rate of the truck, causing the swing lock cylinder to temporarily lock the steering axle, improving stability at critical moments, reducing the likelihood of a side tip-over.
To further improve safety Closed Loop specified the Safety+ Package. This allowed them to tailor the Tonero to their needs with a package of competitively priced factory fitted options. A speed limiter ensures site speed limits are adhered to and controls acceleration when the truck is carrying a load. A load weight indicator allows operators to asses the weight of each bale before it is lifted to helping to ensure the truck is not overloaded.
For Operations Director Colin Jackson, it was also important that the company supplying the forklifts fitted with the ethos of Closed Loop: “It goes without saying that as a recycling company, we examine every area of our business to reduce the environmental impact. Solar and wind power help to reduce our energy use and we take great care to clean the water used in our processes to allow it to be returned to the water system.”
All component suppliers, and the plant where the Tonero is built are accredited to ISO 14001, demonstrating Toyota’s commitment to the highest standards of environmental management in both manufacture and supplier choice. Every stage of the truck’s life, from manufacture, through operation to end of life, has been examined with the objective of reducing environmental impact.
Colin concludes: ”I feel quality business processes are critical and we are working towards getting the plant ISO accredited as a priority. I feel confident in working with a supplier who already operates to these standards for both business and environmental management. And with the truck itself being 99% recyclable – it’s perfect for Closed Loop”
