CDE plant investment pays dividends for Bedrock
Recycling operator diverts 80% of its waste from landfill within year of CDE partnership
ESTABLISHED in 2002, Bedrock Plant Hire Ltd started out specializing in plant hire for a range of customers operating in the construction and utilities sectors across the Central Belt of Scotland. Sustained business growth in recent years meant the company has diversified, including the development of its own landfill site with crushing and screening operations.
This also prompted Bedrock to engage with wet-processing equipment experts CDE to install a new construction, demolition, and excavation (CD&E) waste-recycling plant at their Glasgow site, which created opportunities for the business to make inroads into the recycled aggregates market.
More importantly, as Bedrock expanded their range of products and services and looked to strengthen their business relationships with some of Scotland’s leading companies, the CDE plant investment would help put them on the path towards zero waste and embrace the circular economy.
Commissioned in late 2021, the recycling plant project was Bedrock’s first in partnership with CDE, and their first venture into wet processing. Previously, with dry processing operations, the company was crushing and screening to produce a low-value fill, which restricted its ability to market quality recycled aggregates and minimize its environmental footprint.
Accompanied by Garry Stewart, business development manager for CDE, Bedrock representatives visited several CDE reference sites in the local market, including Brewsters and Brocklebank, where they had the opportunity to hear first-hand experiences from existing customers operating CDE technology. This proved highly influential and reinforced Bedrock’s decision to partner with CDE.
The 80 tonnes/h CD&E waste-recycling facility consists of an R1500 primary scalping screen, an AggMax 83SR logwasher, a dual pass EvoWash sand washing fine material classification plant, and an AquaCycle A400 thickener with Flocstation. It was developed with the intention of reducing the volume of waste destined for landfill, turning it and other low-value materials into saleable recycled aggregates.
The R-Series allows for a constant, even flow of material to be delivered to the integrated screen before being sent for additional screening, washing, and sizing. The AggMax modular logwasher incorporates aggressive attrition of conglomerates to release sands through scrubbing and organics removal, as well as recovering fines and removing filtrates.
The EvoWash plant employs tried-and-tested modular hydrocyclone technology, offering unparalleled control of silt cut points with two washes. It allows Bedrock to produce a much cleaner, in-spec product and guarantees a fast return on investment. Meanwhile, the AquaCycle high-rate thickener recycles up to 90% of the process water for immediate re-use.
Garry Stewart commented: ‘Reducing Bedrock’s environmental footprint was a driving force in the decision to invest in a CDE waste-recycling plant. The Bedrock team was conscious of the tricky materials to be processed and had full confidence in the capabilities of our technology, due to our commitment to engineering excellence and our comprehensive analysis of their raw feed.’
Proven solutions from CDE provide maximum recycling potential and full water treatment, achieving considerable reduction in waste-to-landfill volumes. Since commissioning, the plant for Bedrock has led to a decrease in the quantity going to landfill by as much as 80%, with around 1,000 tonnes of CD&E waste being processed and the production of 700 tonnes of saleable material per day.
The plant investment has opened new revenue streams for Bedrock through the outputs generated, with eight variations of high-quality recycled aggregates being produced for use in the construction industry. These include: 0-2mm; 4-10mm; and 40-100mm rinsed oversize.
Bedrock are also supplying drainage stone (10-20mm) to the construction sector, as well as pit and utility sands for concrete. And some of the recycled aggregates are being used for cable bedding and pipe bedding.
With the CDE recycling washing plant up and running, the company has its sights set on the future with plans to increase capacity. ‘We wish we had been able to do this 10 years ago,’ said Joe McHugh, director of Bedrock Plant Hire. ‘The technology has changed remarkably in that time and CDE is at the top of its game when it comes to wet processing and waste recycling. We really see these areas as a defining part of Bedrock’s future.’
Garry Stewart added: 'It has been a pleasure to work with Bedrock, a family business focused on building a sustainable future through strategic investments. It felt particularly poignant as the final stages of our project came at such a significant time for the city of Glasgow, as it played host to global climate summit COP26. We are proud to be part of Bedrock’s journey towards a more sustainable business model and look forward to working with its team to strengthen its position within the market in Glasgow.’
