While the current health crisis has seen a slowdown across many sectors of the business community, many vital service operations have had to continue in often trying conditions.

For manufacturing and industrial operators, as well as those involved in transport and logistics, the need to maintain supply remains a priority. A consequence of heavy demand is the need to deal with waste materials management, and supporting plant and equipment needs to be maintained and upgraded.

Selecting the right recycling plant and equipment

Whether it be a completely new equipment installation, or an upgrade of existing plant, a number of basic factors need to be firstly considered:

• The frequency of equipment usage and the volume of material to be processed.
• The type of waste material being processed – paper, cardboard, plastics, metals etc.
• Projected future expansion and turnover.

Refer to a site like recyclingbalers.com to view the range available for the specific category of equipment desired.

Location of the equipment and the preparation of the site

For a completely new equipment installation, a number of factors must then be considered to determine optimal location within the factory or warehouse:

• The structure and suitability of the floor surface.
• The proximity to the intended working area and access to the new equipment – consider access for forklifts and handling equipment of necessary.
• Availability of power and ventilation for the equipment.
• General clearance from other equipment and obstacles and accessibility for maintenance and repair of the equipment.

Similarly, an upgrade of an existing item of plant must take into account the same general considerations, noting the fact that the new equipment will be of different size and dimensions, different weight, and possibility different configuration with respect to working/feed area, power outlet and ventilation areas.

Planning for support tradespeople and ancillary equipment

Having considered the above mentioned steps, a determination can now be made with respect to any third-party support services needed to facilitate the installation. Consider such factors as:

• Does transport need to be planned to bring in the new equipment and/or remove the old plant, in the case of an equipment upgrade?
• Will an ‘air ride’ vehicle be required to transport the item?
• Does traffic management need to be put into place during the delivery?
• Will a qualified electrician be required to install/move/upgrade power points?
• Will other service providers need to be contacted to move other items of plant and equipment?
• Will security services be required during the equipment installation/cutover period?

Staff and operator training

Following the successful commissioning and cutover of the new equipment, a schedule of staff training may need to be put into place and should be formulated well ahead of the installation to ensure both trainer and staff availability.

Dependent on the scale and complexity of the operation, training may need to be run in shifts, and in some cases, refresher or follow-up training may also be required post-installation.

Summary

Following a set of basic steps in the project procurement and management process will ensure a smooth and seamless upgrade or new installation, avoiding and potentially costly delays.