PRODUCT OF THE MONTH
When Malcolm McArdle from Alloa Community Enterprises was told by industry peers that chassis shortages meant a minimum wait of twelve months for a new vehicle, he decided to do his own research and find new suppliers, a task that ultimately lead him to Kerbside Recycling, part of the LinkTip Group and a three compartment recycling vehicle.
The multi-compartment vehicle range provides real flexibility with individual compartments for the collection of different materials from paper and cans through to plastics and glass. Available in a wide range of body sizes suitable for both HGV and non HGV chassis, bodies can be specified with a variety of binlifts with both comb and pod options.
Designed & built in-house multi-compartment bodies provide outstanding performance, are highly reliable and easy to maintain as Alloa Community Enterprises are now finding out.
Alloa Community Enterprises (ACE) is a charity which operates a profitable waste management business in central and eastern Scotland whilst providing local employment opportunities and increasing environmental awareness. Importantly ACE also returns its profits to support the social needs of the communities in which it operates.
One of its key aims is to work in partnership with local authorities and business to achieve their recycling targets ahead of the 2020 deadlines and to do this ACE is firmly committed to investing in their operations, hence the search for a new recycling vehicle.
The vehicle ordered in January and delivered in May is a 23 tonne top loader with three bin lifts and three recycling bays. Used to collect glass from commercial customers, the vehicle allows collection and segregation at source.
Malcolm McArdle explains: “We collect glass from around 240 commercial customers on a weekly basis. Most of this is supplied to a firm making glass for the whisky industry so it’s essential the glass is kept segregated. This is the first new glass truck we have purchased in five years and it has had a tremendous impact on the business, even in the short time we have had it, increasing our collection capacity by 125%.”
ACE is clear about its business direction, Malcolm continued: “People that don’t know our business look at the label charity make assumptions about our ability to provide a professional service first and foremost. ACE have invested heavily in an Integrated management System over the last year and are absolutely dedicated to ensuring quality of service first. ACE have a top notch volunteer board and their business acumen and commitment has also ensured we have developed to be a major player within the Scottish recycling arena. We currently supply around 12.5% of the recycled glass for bottle manufacturing in Scotland and are the Novellis appointed processing centre for Aluminium in Scotland.”
He continued: “We intend to take this business forward and want to do so with long term partners and I believe we have found that in the LinkTip Group. Having first met them at the Recycling Show and been to their premises in the West Midlands since, it was clear this was a company who knew what they were talking about and could really interpret what I wanted. It’s their ability to turn these ideas and requirements into a workable commercial vehicle which impressed me and continues to do so. I left in the knowledge that I was more than just another customer to the Kerbside Team, there commitment was evident and is vital in ensuring both companies enjoy the growth potential available from our investments.
For further details please call Kerbside Recycling on 01902 365 880.
For further details about Linktip's range of recycling vehicles as well as their entire product range please visit www.KERBSIDE-RECYCLING.co.uk
