Knox Recycling takes delivery of Australia’s first UNTHA XR

The first UNTHA XR shredder is now operational in Melbourne, Australia, following a 15,000km journey from the world-renowned engineering facility where it was manufactured in Austria.

The 37-tonne mobile machine has been shipped to Knox Recycling (KTS), a long-standing client of waste equipment specialist FOCUS Enviro. Here the UNTHA XR3000C mobil-e will handle up to 30 tonnes of commercial, industrial and wood waste per hour, to manufacture the country’s increasingly popular Energy from Waste resource – Process Engineered Fuel (PEF).

Previously unable to produce this high-specification fuel with only one machine, the Knox team accompanied FOCUS Enviro on several site visits across Europe, to see the UNTHA shredder in action. Impressed by the single pass shredding capabilities of this robust technology, FOCUS Enviro then set about configuring a solution that could achieve Knox’s refined <50mm output particle requirements, with ease.

Commenting on the project, FOCUS Enviro’s director Robbie McKernan said: “We have seen what the XR mobil-e is capable of, as it has continued to transform the throughputs, fuel quality and energy efficiency of facilities worldwide. We’ve therefore worked hard to bring this pioneering UNTHA innovation to Australia, so that it can start to revolutionise how we – as a nation – manufacture PEF. 

“No other single machine can produce such a homogenous fuel in a single pass, so I think the Knox operation is going to be a leading light in this complex arena.”

Mark Jeffs, owner of Knox, added: “Alternative fuel production is becoming more and more important in Australia, and as a progressive environmental company we want to be ahead of the curve.

“We acknowledged that by investing in world class PEF production technology, we could produce a high-quality resource, efficiently, and hopefully really drive the market for this crucial energy source.”

Gary Moore, UNTHA’s director for global business development concluded: “We know how to process a plethora of waste materials effectively, and whether the resulting fuel is going to a local cement kiln or the export market, we always work with the client to optimise throughputs, minimise impurities and maximise margins.

“Australia is one of the world’s most exciting countries when it comes to Energy from Waste potential, and it’s great to now be a part of it.”

FOCUS hit the headlines earlier this year when it was announced that the team had become the exclusive distributor of UNTHA’s shredding technology, for the whole of Australia.

Over 9,000 UNTHA shredders are now installed worldwide.