HEIS turn to Liebherr earthmoving machines

Company uses XPower wheel loader, TA 230 ADTs and LH 40 M material handler to meet growing recycling operation

SINCE 2020, HEIS (Hargreaves-EWT Industrieservices GmbH) have been offering various industrial services, including the processing of blast furnace slag that arises as a by-product of pig iron production.

Operating at the port of Duisburg, western Germany, the company recycles this post-industrial material in bulk for site neighbours DK Recycling und Roheisen GmbH. The products of the processed blast furnace slag are subsequently sold for further refinement.

Due to the demanding nature and growth of the materials recycling operation, HEIS have invested in a new fleet of Liebherr machines for the handling and loading of slag, soil stone, and minerals on their 15,000 sq m site. The earthmoving equipment was specifically chosen for its fuel efficiency, reliability, high performance, and serviceability. 

Two TA 230 articulated dumptrucks take cooled slag from DK and drop it in heaps. An LH 40 M material handling excavator then sieves out ferrous material using a magnetic separation system.  

An L 576 XPower wheel loader then loads the roughly sorted slag into a screening plant, where it is crushed and refined to different sizes. Finally, trucks are loaded with the various grades of products before they are sold as building materials and for the production of blasting abrasives. 

‘Liebherr earthmoving machines boast excellent handling performance and low fuel consumption,’ said Lars Haltermann, head of operations at HEIS. Fuel-efficient Liebherr wheel loaders, for example, ensure high customer satisfaction.

What makes the XPower wheel loaders so fuel-efficient is their power-split XPower travel drive. At low speeds and short loading cycles, the hydrostatic drive does most of the work, while at higher speeds and uphill, the mechanical drive takes over. 

The components always transmit 100% of the diesel engine power, with only the ratio between them changing. This means the wheel loader operates with maximum performance and efficiency, regardless of the task. 

According to Liebherr, the result is fuel savings of up to 30% compared with conventional wheel loaders. Mr Haltermann commented: ‘Our XPower wheel loaders currently consume an average of 14 litres of fuel per operating hour when loading, and when feeding the screening and crushing plants.’

The XPower wheel loaders deliver maximum performance even on the toughest and most demanding jobs. The robust and durable components ensure a long service life for the machine, while the rear-opening electric bonnet allows safe and unhindered access to the whole engine compartment, resulting in less downtime and reduced costs.

‘In addition to the high quality and performance of Liebherr machines, we appreciate the quick and easy maintenance of the XPower wheel loaders. This completes the overall package perfectly,’ concluded Mr Haltermann.