Letsrecycle Live 2021 Review

First published in the October 2021 issue of Quarry Management 

Two-day showcase exhibition and conference for the recycling, demolition and waste-management sectors returns to Stoneleigh Park

The second Letsrecycle Live event – which took place from 15-16 September at the National Agricultural and Exhibition Centre (NAEC) in Stoneleigh Park, near Coventry – finally opened its door to visitors, following months of uncertainty surrounding the holding of in-person exhibitions/conference since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The showcase event for the waste-recycling and demolition sectors takes place every two years and was due to be held in May 2021, but organizers Environment Media Group (EMG) took the decision to postpone the show to mid-September after the summer holiday period.

The rescheduled dates proved to be a silver lining for the show organizers, giving them more time to further develop the event, and according to EMC, the second edition of Letsrecycle Live was bigger and more collaborative than the inaugural event in 2019.

Featuring around 200 exhibitors – spread across indoor and outdoor areas – Letsrecycle Live, and the newly co-located Demolition Expo, welcomed a wide range of professionals from across the industry including waste-management, recycling, transport, equipment manufacturers, government departments and environmental bodies.  

After a difficult 18 months for the events sector, the two-day show provided a safe and secure platform for the waste and recycling industry to reconnect whilst retaining the feel and atmosphere that made the first exhibition and conference such a success. 

As with the previous show, this year’s Letsrecycle Live championed sustainable innovation by promoting the newest technologies and equipment across the sector and, once again, providing attendees with a host of quality networking events and opportunities.

During the show, a packed conference programme was split between four conference theatres: Keynote; Materials Village; Local Authority; and Demolition Expo. Many of the high-calibre speakers who took part in the informative presentations and panel discussions provided invaluable insights into the ongoing challenges facing the demolition and recycling industry, ranging from delivering net-zero emissions and the circular economy through to attracting the next generation of talent and increasing the representation of women across the sector. 

Among the dozens of leading industry experts and professionals who shared the stage across the theatres were: Adam Read, president of CIWM (Chartered Institution of Wastes Management); Richard Dolman, president of IDE (Institute of Demolition Engineers); Bob Johnstone, managing director of Keltbray Decommissioning;  Peter Buckley, senior adviser at the Environment Agency; and Nina Sweet, special adviser for WRAP. 

As the construction sector works towards becoming a net-zero-carbon industry, the demand for more environmentally friendly processes and recycled aggregates that enhance the sustainability of new buildings and infrastructure is ever-increasing.

Walking from stand to stand, it was perhaps no surprise to see many of the exhibiting companies highlighting their green credentials and conveying the need to reduce, reuse, achieve net zero and become part of the circular economy. 

Encouraging producers to think about waste materials from a re-use perspective, Blue Group showcased a wide range of materials processing and handling equipment at this year’s Letsrecycle Live event. Products on display included: Rammer hammers; Fortress pulverizers/crackers; and Powerscreen’s Metrotrak compact jaw crusher, whilst working demonstrations of the Fuchs MHL 331F material handler and Doppstadt Inventhor Type 6 shredder were held at the show’s Live Demonstration Area.

As one of the highlights of the event, the Live Demonstration Area – along with the Trucks in Action Arena – gave visitors the opportunity to see a range of mobile shredders, material handlers, telehandlers and waste/refuse vehicles operating in their intended environments. 

Other machines that showcased their materials-handling capabilities in the demonstration area included: the JCB 457 Wastemaster wheel loader and all-electric JCB 525-60E compact telehandler; as well as Volvo’s L25 electric compact wheel loader, which benefits from zero exhaust emissions and low noise levels and vibrations. Also keen to highlight their specialist recycling expertise at the show, Liebherr’s demonstration line-up consisted of the LH24 material handler and T55/7s telescopic handler. 

Away from the Live Demonstration Area, Richard Dorman, managing director of Red Knight 6 (RK6), authorized distributors of Komplet recycling systems and Rubble Master equipment in the UK, said Letsrecycle Live 2021 turned out to be a very encouraging show for the business. 

‘It’s been a breath of fresh air to return to an exhibition such as Letsrecycle Live and being able to showcase our products and services, and to have the opportunity to welcome both existing and new customers to our stand,’ commented Mr Dorman. ‘During the show, we’ve gained a considerable amount of interest in most of our exhibits on display, particularly the RM 70GO! 2.0 mobile compact crusher.’ 

Visitors to the Kiverco stand were not only able to explore the company’s latest range of modular, portable and static processing equipment, but also a new brand identity that was soft launched at this year’s Letsrecycle Live event. 

‘Given the strength of the Kiverco name in the waste-recycling industry – and our natural progression in the sector – the refreshed brand identity encapsulates what we do best, with an agenda to transform our industry and deliver innovative, value-added solutions for waste sorting and separation,’ said Niamh Anne McNally, digital marketing manager for Kiverco.

‘The new logo has been redesigned to create a simpler, cleaner and more modern brand identity that reflects the company’s business ethos, as we continue on our journey to become a more market- and customer-led business.’

Elsewhere on the showground, Inmalo displayed a wide range of heavy-duty hydraulic excavator attachments from the likes of Montabert and Mantovanibenne, as well as dust-suppression systems, including the brand-new portable Motofog MFX20 designed specifically for quarrying and demolition applications.   

Likewise, BPH – one of the UK’s leading specialists in the sale, rental and repair of excavator attachments – showcased an extensive range of PRODEM hydraulic breakers, demonstrating their materials processing expertise and demolition attachments offering. 

• Subscribe to Quarry Management, the monthly journal for the mineral products industry, to read articles before they appear on Agg-Net.com