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

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News: Mayflower Engineering finds success in new sectors

South Yorkshire's Mayflower Engineering is showing how specialisation and diversification into new niche markets can be the perfect method of recovery from the recession.

The business, which underwent a management buyout in 2008, was immediately faced with the full impact of the banking crisis resulting in a near complete withdrawal of capital funding from the marketplace.

The Sheffield-based firm lost nearly 50% of business from regular customers, most notably Corus Steels.

The new management team of Kevan Bingham and Glyn Hobson devised a strategy to face the difficulties head-on, by diversifying into niche markets. This has led to gaining new business in sectors as varied as sub-sea, off-shore, wave to energy, nuclear, rail, river and canal gates and bridges, military vehicles and waste recycling.

One of the biggest successes is the contract for the design and build of the next generation of autoclaves for Sterecycle's Rotherham facility.

The first of an intended three new waste processing autoclaves has been successfully shop assembled and tested at Mayflower's plant assembly workshops in Rotherham.

The £1.4m contract with Sterecycle for the design, manufacture and installation of the new up-rated municipal waste processing autoclaves was secured in 2010 against stiff competition and will replace the two existing vessels at the Sterecycle plant in Templeborough in early 2012, providing a substantial increase in processing capacity.

Glyn Hobson, operations director at Mayflower Engineering Ltd, said: "We are very pleased in how the design and development of the new rotating, pivoting, heated, pressure vessel has been undertaken in close collaboration with Sterecycle's engineers to produce an autoclave to the highest construction and safety standards and capable of meeting Sterecycle's operational demands at the Rotherham site for the next twenty five years."

"This is just one of a number of projects we have won following our decision to target new markets. It shows how if a business has the right skills and a strategy in place to succeed, that even the toughest economic conditions can be overcome."

Mayflower Engineering website
Sterecycle website

Images: Sterecycle

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