Equipment Report

Amp Robotics partners with Waste Connections

Amp Robotics Corp., a Denver-based manufacturer of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics used to recover recyclables, has signed a long-term agreement with Waste Connections Inc. to deploy 24 AI-guided robotics systems across the company’s material recovery facilities (MRFs).

“We’re excited to partner with Amp to expand the deployment of state-of-the-art technology in our materials recovery facilities, furthering our sustainability initiatives and increasing returns,” says Worthing F. Jackman, president and CEO of Toronto-based Waste Connections. “Waste Connections is committed to expanding resource recovery capacity, and we believe Amp’s robotics systems align with our goals to enhance safety, increase productivity and improve recovered resource quality.”

Amp’s technology recovers plastics, cardboard, paper, cans, cartons and many other containers and packaging types that can be reclaimed for use as raw materials. For example, its AI platform identifies different types of plastics, including polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene, that are sorted further by color, clarity and opacity, along with different form factors, such as lids, tubs, clamshells and cups.

Amp says its technology can adapt to packaging that is introduced into the recycling stream with recognition capabilities to the brand level, which is increasingly critical as demand for sufficient quantities of high-quality recyclables grows to meet consumer packaged goods companies’ commitments to use postconsumer recycled content in their packaging.

“We’re thrilled to be supporting Waste Connections’ commitment to expanding resource recovery as we extend our efforts to modernize recycling operations and advance a more circular economy,” says Matanya Horowitz, founder and CEO of Amp Robotics. “To see such a robust expansion of our pipeline and mark this milestone in a year upended by COVID-19 is a testament to our industry-leading technology—and working with a visionary company like Waste Connections helps enable and strengthen an essential public service.”

Eriez enables online refurbished equipment shopping

Pennsylvania-based magnetic equipment-maker Eriez has added a feature to its website that allows customers to view the refurbished equipment it has available. Eriez’s refurbished equipment is repaired by personnel at its 5-Star Service Center in Erie, Pennsylvania, where it is prepared to be “ready for quick shipping and backed by an ‘as new’ warranty,” the company says.

Refurbished equipment typically available includes eddy current separators, drum magnets, wet drum separators and suspended electromagnets. Eriez says it updates its webpage with equipment as it becomes available. The company’s inventory of available refurbished equipment can be found at www.eriez.com/NA/EN/Service/ Refurbished-Equipment.htm.

Industrial Service Solutions announces partnership with ZB Group

Industrial Service Solutions (ISS) reports that its Recycling Technologies division, which is based in Houston, has partnered with ZB Group to provide sales, service and parts support for the Spanish company’s line of recycling equipment, which includes the Thor mobile shredder and preshredders. According to ISS – Recycling Technologies, this new relationship will help to better position ZB Group as a provider of heavy-duty recycling equipment for the scrap metal industry.

“The ZB Group Thor shredder line has established itself as the best solution to the scrap metal recycler needing a mobile unit solution throughout the world,” says Ignacio Rivero, ZB Group international director. “Bringing ISS Recycling Technologies division alongside our efforts in North America for sales and especially service and parts support, backed by our engineering group in Spain and the U.S., puts us in a superior position to grow our position as the leader in mobile shredding technology.”

Known for its expertise in multiple equipment types, ISS – Recycling Technologies says it supplies and supports stationary automobile shredders, motors, drive systems, emissions, controls, castings, wear parts and the Taurus U.S. line of shears.

“Through our partnership with ZB Group, we’ve added another proven line of recycling equipment to our offerings,” says Bill Tigner, vice president of ISS – Recycling Technologies. “Our experience in shredding, along with our unmatched local support, will continue to expand on the success of ZB Group in North America.”

ZB Group North America supports the mobile shredder product line from its Atlanta location through factory technicians and a parts warehouse.

Wendt, Didion form strategic partnership

Wendt Corp., Buffalo, New York, has announced that it is entering into an exclusive partnership with Missouri- based Didion International Inc. that will combine Wendt’s scrap processing solutions with Didion’s rotary drum technology. According to a news release from Wendt, the partnership will leverage experience from both companies in their respective specialties to expand and improve Wendt’s product portfolio by exclusively offering Didion’s metal polishing drums to the scrap recycling industry.

The two companies say they were introduced to one another while working on a project for a special scrap recycling application in 2016.

“After working together on that project, our companies learned a lot about one another,” says Mark Didion, vice president of systems integration at Didion. “Our rotary technology was the right fit for cleaning scrap, and partnering with Wendt to provide a complete solution just made sense for this endeavor together. We’ve designed these drums to incorporate our over 40 years of expertise in the cleaning of metals. They include special features that are not just designed to polish the metal but to classify it to be ready for downstream equipment.”

Quality expectations for metal scrap commodities continue to rise, adds Wendt Business Development Manager Bill Close. He says, “The metal cleaning and polishing product line that we have developed with Didion will provide a competitive advantage to our customers beyond metal sorting, creating packages that are bright, polished and clean to the touch.”

With the inclusion of the Didion metal polishing drums into the Wendt product portfolio, Wendt will offer domestic and export drums in 10-tons per hour (tph), 20-tph and 30-tph sizes that are designed to remove dirt, debris and surface contamination/oxidation from metal. Wendt says the domestic drum is ideally suited as preparation to an XRT plant or heavy media plant processing a variety of aluminum and stainless steel scrap commodities, such as zorba and zurik. The company says the export drum is built to meet the proposed Chinese export requirements for zorba by adding screening to separate the cleaned and polished zorba into three sizes that are delivered directly into a bagging system, ready for export.

“The Wendt-Didion partnership is a powerful combination,” says Wendt President Tom Wendt. “We have once again partnered with a technology leader in [the] industry to customize a product to meet our industry requirements. The incorporation of Didion’s technology into our systems is revolutionary for consumers of shredded commodities. We believe the technology will be widely adopted and sets a new standard in the quality of melt-ready commodities.”

Exodus adds global perspective to its branding

Exodus Machines, Superior, Wisconsin, has announced a name change to Exodus Global. The firm says the change was made to reflect its expanding manufacturing operations.

Exodus Global is a privately held family business consisting of demolition shear producer ShearCore, replacement shear blade supplier BladeCore, quick-coupler provider OilQuickUSA and Connect Work Tools, which makes hydraulic breakers, compactors, grapples and pulverizers.

“Exodus Global seemed like a natural fit as we pay homage to our past of building Exodus material handlers and look forward to the future of building a world-class organization with ties across the globe,” says Kevin Boreen, CEO of Exodus Global.

“Our companies have done a great job of building a strong presence of our United States-manufactured Fortress line in Australia, Canada and Europe,” Boreen adds.

Exodus Global says it has invested in state-of-the-art equipment and a world-class manufacturing facility along the shores of Lake Superior, where most of its 85-plus employees are.

Hyundai Construction Equipment adds Alta Equipment to distribution network

Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas (HCEA), Norcross, Georgia, has announced the expansion of its North American authorized dealer network with the addition of Livonia, Michigan-based Alta Equipment Co. Alta is a provider of industrial forklifts, heavy construction equipment and warehouse solutions. HCEA now has six dealerships across Illinois, including Alta Equipment Co.

“I am very pleased to welcome Alta Equipment to the Hyundai Construction Equipment family,” says Ed Harseim, HCEA district manager – North Central. “Alta believes in growing their business through excellent service and customer support and has made a huge commitment to the markets that they service throughout their footprint. Hyundai is committed to working with Alta to continue to grow the Hyundai brand name in Illinois by offering reliable products and services that provide a greater overall value to the customer,” he adds.

With the addition of Alta, HCEA’s North American network includes more than 75 dealerships in more than 175 locations.