Viridor has invested in its first UK Cat® electric-drive material handlers to halve CO2 emissions.

The first fleet of new Cat® eMH24 electric-drive material handlers have been put to work at leading waste management company Viridor’s Bargeddie and Polmadie plants in Scotland.

The investment in four new Cat eMH24 supports Viridor’s sustainability ambitions as leading innovator of resource recovery and recycling, transforming waste for a climate-positive future.

The new machines will be used to process large quantities of black bag waste to maximise the amount that can be recycled. The residual waste that is unable to be recycled will then be used to generate electricity to power the Cat electric-drive material handlers. The new Cat eMH24 machines therefore have a significantly lower CO2 footprint than diesel powered machines, as well as offering reduced operating costs and improved productivity.

The choice to purchase the electrically driven machines called for Finning, the world’s largest dealer of Cat machines, parts and aftermarket services, to devise a solution to ensure the necessary infrastructure was in place to provide a suitable electric power source at the remote recycling facilities.

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Finning brought in Murray Cable, which is part of the Finning group of companies, to carry out the installation of the high-voltage cabling needed to power the Cat machines. Accomplished in just two weeks, the cable install was completed without disruption to the dayshift operation by working nights and weekends.

Cables were also installed in the workshop bay, so that Finning engineers carrying out any maintenance work on the electric-drive machines had a dedicated area and power supply away from the busy processing area. This was achieved with a lock-out, try-out procedure to isolate the drive motor and pumps under maintenance.

Paul Cairney, Operations Manager for Viridor (Bargeddie), explained that as part of Viridor’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) they wanted to reduce their carbon footprint.

He said: "By operating these new Cat eMH24 electric-drive material handlers, we are expecting at least a 50% reduction in CO2 and operating costs.

"These state-of-the-art electric-drive Cat material handlers have a straightforward electric-drive motor and hydraulic pump that increases uptime and productivity while also lowering operating costs.

"Although it's early days, I'm pleased to report the electrically driven machines have not missed a beat since they have arrived, and the service from the Finning team has been great.

"Our account manager Keith Perkins, and the wider Finning team, offer an outstanding service, which was one of the main drivers in deciding to invest in these new Cat eMH24 electric-drive material handlers, as well as the high productivity we enjoy from all of our other Cat equipment."