Member Article

Organisation ‘supporting Britain’s bravest’ turns to UNTHA

Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company has invested in a new pallet shredder from UNTHA UK, to enhance the team’s production of materials for the biomass industry.

Established in 1919, BBMC – the social enterprise of charity Royal British Legion Industries - has long strived to support the lives of ex-service personnel, but as the years have passed the Aylesford-based company has gone on to also provide employment opportunities to non-veterans including people with disabilities and those out of work. More than 100 such individuals staff the £5m turnover factory in which a new UNTHA LR1400 has just been commissioned.

Processing up to 15 tonnes of waste timber per week, the single shaft shredder is top-loaded via a forklift before producing a homogenous 50mm fraction. An overband magnet extracts any metals for reinsertion into the recycling stream, with the resulting product supplied to Jenkinsons for the biomass market.

But the technology is satisfying more than just an environmental agenda. Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company was previously paying up to £1,000 per week to dispose of its timber waste. But now, the process does not just negate this financial liability – it actually helps the social enterprise generate up to £250 per week from the sale of the biomass resource.

“With a facility the size of five football pitches, we needed a shredder that was ‘tough enough’ for the job,” comments operations manager David Church. “We had previously used a second-hand machine from a different manufacturer, but unreliability and repeated breakdowns were putting a strain on our workflow. There’s a significant demand for our output material and we just couldn’t guarantee to process the volume that the end user sought.

“We therefore began our market research and UNTHA stood out clearly as an industry leader. A consultation with one of UNTHA’s wood shredding experts – plus a visit to see the LR1400 in action – convinced us this was the machine for us.”

“As a not-for-profit enterprise, our entire surplus is reinvested back into the company to offer greater opportunities to ex-service personnel and people with disabilities. “So, because the LR1400 has helped us make a huge reduction in cost, UNTHA can proudly say they are making a real difference to these peoples’ lives.”

Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company has purchased the LR1400 outright. Basic operator training has been provided to ensure the optimum running condition of the machine, but regular servicing and maintenance will be provided by UNTHA UK’s own engineers.

The LR1400 is one of 10 wood shredders within the UNTHA range, capable of achieving throughputs of up to 12 tonnes per hour.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Katie Mallinson .