Tom Wilhelmsen AS invest in new CDE wash plant

Fourth construction and demolition waste-recycling plant to be engineered by CDE in Norway

NORWEGIAN sustainability pioneers Massebalanse Norge AS have announced plans to commission a new contaminated soils wash plant, designed, and engineered by wet processing industry experts CDE, in eastern Norway.

As the waste management division of Tom Wilhelmsen AS, Massebalanse Norge are set to commission the new CDE waste-recycling plant in Disenå, in Norway’s second largest county, Innlandet.

With an annual capacity of 350,000 tonnes, it represents CDE’s fourth construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling plant in Norway and the latest deal to have been secured with strategic partners Nordic Bulk, experts in bulk material processing plants.

It comes as the family-owned and operated firm is announced as an official climate partner in the city of Oslo, a certification which reflects its commitment to adopting sustainable practices to offset the environmental impact of its own operations and that of the Norwegian materials processing and construction industries as a whole.

In pursuit of that, the company has committed to establishing a zero-emissions operation by 2025.

In 2020, Tom Wilhelmsen AS became the first transport company in Norway to use fully electric tipper trucks for construction operations. Today, they operate six Volvo FE Electric tipper trucks.

By 2023, they will double the size of their electric vehicle fleet as they respond to increasing demand for sustainably sourced and processed construction materials.

Helping to fulfil that demand will be CDE’s state-of-the-art wash plant. With a processing capacity of up to 250 tonnes/h, the plant will accept a variable feed of excavated and contaminated soils to produce a range of new, saleable sand and aggregate products for the construction industry.

In-spec end products, including soil, gravel, and stone, will have applications in cement production, roadworks, and other construction, infrastructure, and public works projects.

Much like their pledge to minimize noise pollution in the communities in which they operate through the roll-out of an all-electric fleet of vehicles, the new CDE plant will be installed indoors in an existing 4,400 sq m unit in the Sør-Odal municipality.

The benefits of this approach are two-fold, as the indoor plant with exterior stockpiles means the plant can operate year-round and avoid costly downtime because of adverse weather conditions.

Taking their pursuit of a truly circular economy one step further, Tom Wilhelmsen AS are currently exploring plans to commission a rail route between their C&D waste reception centre in Oslo and the site of their new CDE wash plant.

If approved, plans could see a significant reduction in road transportation as the company transitions to an electrified rail freight line to transport material some 65km to the processing site.

According to Eunan Kelly, CDE’s head of business development for Northern Europe, Tom Wilhelmsen AS are visionaries in sustainability.

‘Tom Wilhelmsen AS have a consistent track record for pushing boundaries as the company sets out to achieve its ambitious environmental goals. Their innovative approaches to transportation, landfill diversion, and materials recycling are having a real and meaningful impact in the supply chain for the local construction industry in Oslo,’ said Mr Kelly.

‘More than simply washing material, Tom Wilhelmsen AS are setting out to establish an operation that manages the entire life cycle of the material in the most sustainable way possible, from the point of extraction to its processing through the CDE plant and from there its return to the market.

‘A visionary, the company commissioned the first fully electric tipper truck in Norway and is continuing to lead the charge in the space, demonstrating best practice by integrating CDE’s world-class wet processing technology into its operation to further cement its position as a sustainability leader.’

Company founder Tom Wilhelmsen (centre of photo) says both companies share the same purpose. ‘The commissioning of our new CDE plant will mark another important milestone in our mission to create a more greener materials processing industry,’ he remarked.

‘We and CDE share a similar purpose in this regard. Excavated and contaminated soils represent a significant waste stream, but with the backing of CDE technology we can return this material to good use, recovering quality construction materials and reducing our reliance on virgin quarried sand and aggregates.’

Mr Wilhelmsen added that CDE’s proven experience in the Norwegian market was an important factor in the decision to invest in their technology.

‘Ours will be the fourth plant of its kind commissioned by CDE in the local market. Their technology is tried, tested, and delivering positive results in the region. That knowledge and proven success offered us great reassurance in our decision to partner with their expert team on the project. Knowing that Nordic Bulk will help provide local support when needed also provides comfort in our decision.’

Groundworks are due to commence this summer with a view to the new plant being operational early next year.