News: New autoclave goes into production in Rotherham

A new 48-tonne capacity autoclave has successfully gone into full production at Sterecycle in Rotherham.

Designed and manufactured by Mayflower Engineering in Sheffield, the new system will help Sterecycle increase the capacity of the Templeborough facility to 180,000 tonnes per annum this year.

Sterecycle uses a patented steam processing method called autoclaving to "pressure cook" household and commercial black-bag waste. The Rotherham plant is the world's first commercial scale autoclave waste treatment facility and recovers 65 percent of the waste in the form of recyclables and a biomass rich soil like substance called "Sterefibre."

Sterefibre is approved as a soil improver for non-agricultural applications and is being used to grow biofuel crops. It can also be used to generate clean power in biomass-fuelled CHP (combined heat and power) plants and for biogas production in anaerobic digestion plants.

Mayflower's team worked in close collaboration with Sterecycle's engineers to produce an autoclave capable of meeting the company's operational demands at the Rotherham site for the next 25 years.

The first of an intended three new waste processing autoclaves was shop assembled and tested at Mayflower's plant assembly workshops in Rotherham before being installed at Sterecycle nearby.

Glyn Hobson, operations manager at Mayflower Engineering, said: "We're very pleased to announce that the autoclave at Sterecycle is now fully operational.

"The installation of the autoclave was completed by our team of skilled engineers and required special purpose lifting and maneuvering equipment to install and raise the new machine, which weighs around 80te, to its full working height.

"The full installation included both hydraulic and electrical operation and control all provided by Mayflower Engineering Limited as a full turn-key design and build contract."

Mayflower Engineering is one of just a few engineering and mechanical handling companies in the country to provide customers with a full design service, which includes manufacture, assembly, testing and installation, through to project completion.

The management team of Kevan Bingham and Glyn Hobson took over in 2008 and diversified into niche markets. One of the biggest successes is this £1.4m contract with Sterecycle.

Sterecycle recently signalled its intentions to go public in Canada and raise funds through the sale of shares.

Sterecycle website

Mayflower Engineering website

Images: Sterecycle