As logistics manager for Queensland’s container deposit scheme in Toowoomba and Goondiwindi, E&E Waste needed to purchase a hookloader designed for the task.
Over the first week of Queensland’s container deposit scheme, Containers for Change, more than five million containers were collected.
Similar to NSW’s Return and Earn, the scheme provides Queenslanders a 10-cent refund for each valid container collected and returned at an over-the-counter depot, reverse vending machine, or at a mobile or pop-up refund point.
The scheme has rolled out across the state, from the Sunshine Coast to Mount Isa. In Toowoomba and Goondiwindi, waste company E&E Waste is an authorised refund point operator. It is responsible for collecting, counting and sorting eligible containers and handling their transport to a processor.
With a more than two-hour drive between the two towns and a significant number of rough regional roads, E&E Waste needed to upgrade its fleet with a vehicle that could handle the journey.
Shane McGuire, owner and founder of E&E Waste, says the hookloader and truck needed to be able to carry up to 15 tonnes of glass in its bins.
“We decided to go with a Volvo for the truck as we have six Volvos already and we like how they operate and handle. For the hookloader, we decided to go with Palfinger. I’d heard about them at a recent truck show, and they had a solid reputation for being reliable,” he explains.
“We needed a custom designed vehicle, but we didn’t have the time to chase each part, which is why Palfinger’s turnkey solution was so important to us. They made sure to handle all the busywork, which gave us the time we needed to focus on our own operation.”
Palfinger supplied E&E Waste with a T22A DINO Hookloader mounted on a FM13 Volvo, a 22-tonne unit that can handle a 15-tonne payload, specifically designed for bins with low clearances.
The hookloader is made up of high-tensile steel to reduce its weight and long-term fuel costs. Each part of the hookloader has been cast to help increase its longevity and robustness with an articulated arm to allow for low loading and reduce load sliding.
Glen Woodrow, Palfinger National Account Manager – Hook and Skiploaders, says Palfinger had analysed and researched the preliminary specifications of the vehicle to ensure it would be a good fit for E&E’s fleet.
“We have an intimate knowledge of what is required especially as hookloaders are often tailored to suit their individual application. We conducted audits on the bin fleets and looked at each type of bin that E&E Waste would handle, their target weight capacity and the type of vehicle the hookloader would be attached to,” he says.
“One important factor that went into the design of the vehicle was its intended environment. Everything from its rear bar to the mudguards is heavy duty so it can travel through arduous locations across an enormous area.”
The hookloader is also equipped with a Loadrite weighing system to accurately measure the truck’s payload and a Bergero hydraulic roll tarp to keep the load covered and meet regulations.
Safety features include a six-camera system for additional visibility while operating the hookloader and high-powered LED worklights located at the back of the cab and on the bumper bar.
Glen says the design of the hookloader will allow it to collect a broader range of bin designs that a standard hookloader wouldn’t be able
to pick up. “One of the customised additions on the vehicle is the two-position road train rated Ringfeder that has been designed to allow it to tow a 45-foot semi-trailer and a smaller 20-tonne trailer for other equipment,” he says.
Engineering and manufacturing company Obadare worked closely with Palfinger and E&W Waste to build the custom ring feeder.
The design of the ring feeder needed to account for the bins, which are manufactured by different companies, so avoiding clashes in the final design was vital. 3D computer aided design models were used to fulfil the specific requirements of the client.
Adrian Gustafson, Obadare Engineering Manager, designed the Ringfeder and says the collaboration and communication from Palfinger and E&E Waste were critical to getting the design right.
“If there were any potential issues, we were able to locate them early on and update them, so the final product would be able to handle the rigorous workload and its environment,” he says.
Because Palfinger is part of the Gough Group, E&E Waste is able to take advantage of its service partner network.
Glen says there are 37 locations which are equipped with factory-trained servicing and spare parts support from Brisbane to Port Hedland and everything in between.
“With Gough Palfinger service locations in both Toowoomba and Goondiwindi, E&E Waste can be confident it will be supported when and where its required.”
