H Sivyer Transport select McCloskey Equipment

First published in the December 2021 issue of Quarry Management as Making an Impact

How one long-established London-based company is using McCloskey machines to create sustainable, affordable recycled aggregates for the benefit of customers and the environment

H Sivyer Transport Ltd are creating a cleaner, greener future in one of the world’s most challenging environments. Managing director Simon Sivyer explained how the company is at the forefront of sustainable aggregate production in the heart of London.

‘Over the last 18 months, the environment – specifically, the impact a project or process can have on the environment – has become a focal point. It’s always been important, but I’ve seen it climb the priority ladder to become a prominent feature for every customer. Not only do we, as a company, have a huge responsibility in this, but we also have one of the best opportunities to make a positive impact.’

Today, Sivyer rank among the largest muck-away companies in London. Every day, more than 200 people and 130 grab-tipper lorries service the capital’s material collection and disposal needs. Each year, the company moves 1.5 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste, with an annual turnover of £40 million.

‘The demand here is huge,’ said Mr Sivyer, ‘but we are doing more than just the usual recycled aggregates. We still offer 6F5, Type 1, shingles etc, but we have invested heavily to develop processes which enable us to make any British Standard aggregate from recovered material.’

This is a bold statement; British Standards are strictly controlled, and many BSI aggregates are rarely made with anything other than virgin or primary material. Few can achieve the required standard with recycled product, yet Simon Sivyer and his team claim to have done just that in the country’s capital, home to a unique mix of tight regulations, emission limits, logistical bottlenecks, ever-increasing traffic, and strict environmental standards. 

‘The upstream benefit is massive. If every project in London used primary materials, we’d have thousands of lorries travelling hundreds of miles in and out the capital every day. These products can now be produced locally, using local materials that are being recycled right here in the capital. Just in the logistics, the embodied carbon saving is huge.

‘This also reduces the demand for virgin materials. For example, much of the drainage shingle used here in London is dredged from the North Sea. Now, contractors can choose a recycled product that meets the same standards, without negatively impacting the environment by transporting a raw material dredged from the seabed.

‘We have our own research and development facility and have developed our own processes to deliver materials that meet every required standard, including BSI and RAP Quality Protocols. We are rigorous with our testing; Sivyer is a fourth-generation family business with a long-standing reputation for quality. Every stone we sell must uphold that.’

McCloskey machines at the heart of the operation

Processing the recovered materials are several McCloskey screeners, including three R230 high-energy units, an S250 screener and a tracked 621 trommel, all supplied by McCloskey Equipment.

The 621 trommel is well suited to Sivyer’s operations, with its reputation for proven reliability in construction and demolition waste, topsoil, compost, waste recycling, as well as many other large screening applications. 

Also supporting the operations are the three R230 screeners. Widely regarded as one of the most robust, durable, and powerful heavy-duty mobile screeners at work around the world today, the R230 is designed to provide impressive production levels across even the most heavy-duty scalping operations. 

Sivyer say they benefit directly from the performance of these high-energy screeners; the three machines deliver the required high-volume output from the company’s vast operation, whilst reliably creating high-quality screened product, all delivered with the maximum efficiency. 

Completing the line-up is the McCloskey S250 screener, one of the largest tracked mobile screeners in the world. It is said to offer a class-leading screening area with its 22ft, triple-deck, high-energy screen achieving the very best aggregate from the material screening process.

Support from McCloskey Equipment

Sivyer have worked closely with McCloskey Equipment throughout the development of their materials catalogue, utilizing the equipment manufacturer’s collective knowledge from the materials’ processing and recycling industry. 

‘McCloskey machines offer fantastic performance; the quality of the product speaks for itself, with each running efficiently. I’ve worked with McCloskey Equipment for several years and they’ve always delivered, whether it’s been a routine service for a machine or a bespoke addition for one of our specialist processes. By combining our vision and R&D facilities with McCloskey Equipment’s knowledge and experience, we’ve been able to achieve something truly remarkable.’

The Sivyer company has come a long way over the last 160 years and is not about to slow down anytime soon. Simon Sivyer explained: ‘In 1862 we used horses and carts to move construction waste around Victorian London; today we use a fleet of grab-tipper lorries. Improvement is continuous and I am using technology to take our next step forward.

‘We still do a lot of business by phone and email. It’s old-fashioned trading in a modern, sophisticated company. In 2022, we are launching a new, user-friendly buying experience, the ‘Amazon of Aggregates’ if you like, a one-stop-shop where any customer can search, find, and order the materials they need quickly and efficiently on our website. Not only will this streamline the buying process, but it will also promote sustainable, recycled alternatives next to traditional materials – and, for me, this is key.’

Leading the company his great-grandfather, George Hutchings, established will always be personal for Simon Sivyer, and the impact his business and customers have on the environment is part of that.

‘This is important to me personally because it directly impacts the environment in which I live. I’m proud that, as a company, we have created sustainable, affordable options for the benefit of our customers and the environment. 

‘We take our responsibility very seriously and share a passion for high standards. When a customer works with us, they can trust Sivyer to fully manage their responsibilities, and rely on our quality service, whether we are first on site to clear waste or delivering the final load of fully recycled aggregates.’

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