The waste and recycling industry in Australia is projected for growth and as it moves along that trajectory, one company in Unanderra, New South Wales, is particularly confident it can provide the industry with quality machinery for recycling.
By mid-2024, when the full waste export ban comes into effect, Australia must recycle around 645,000 additional tonnes of waste plastic, paper, glass and tyres each year.1 This means demand for recycling infrastructure will grow substantially.
For Graham Badman, Managing Director of Brentwood Recycling Systems in Unanderra, near Wollongong, that vision justifies why his family business made the switch to design, supply and manufacturing of recycling equipment and turn-key recycling plants nearly 40 years ago.
Established in 1975 as Brentwood Engineering by Graham’s father, Jim Badman, Brentwood began its business by manufacturing low-bed trailers for carrying earthmoving equipment. When Graham joined the business in 1977 as a trainee engineer, Brentwood had already won around 40% of the Australian market for heavy trailers.
In 1979, Brentwood acquired a licence for manufacturing industrial shredding machines and the father-son duo, both chartered engineers, began developing industrial shredding machines and material handling systems. By 1989, the recycling branch of the business had grown strong enough so that they decided to sell the trailer business and focus on expanding the shredding business further.
Today, Brentwood has built a reputation across Australia and New Zealand for manufacturing machines that can shred all types of material, from metal scraps to paper, cardboard and plastic. Their products are even sold across abattoirs and local councils. Brentwood also offers project design and manufacture in the form of turn-key projects and other associated equipment, from steel plate conveyors to belt conveyors, bounce conveyors and trommels.
Graham says as for any successful business, having quality machinery and backing that with high-calibre engineering support has been key to the success of Brentwood Recycling Systems.
“Our shredding machines have a reputation for their high quality. Also, because we are designing and manufacturing here in Australia, that enables us to tailor and engineer our machines and plants to suit our customers’ requirements,”
says Graham.
“The other factor that sets us apart from a lot of the others is our service and back up support. We have all the spare parts for all the machines readily available. We can still maintain and service all of the machines we have made since 1979.”
To provide such level of service to their customers, Graham says working closely with suppliers like the CBC branch in Wollongong has been instrumental.
“Our relationship with CBC goes back to the late 70s, when we began purchasing bearings from CBC Wollongong. The relationship has continued all the way through that time. Having uninterrupted supply from a supplier that can offer many types of products, from bearings to lubricants, all under one roof, has been a great advantage for us.”
In particular, Brentwood pays great attention to the lubricants they use in their shredding and material handling equipment. Graham says complying with the recommended lubricants from the original equipment manufacturers has led him to using Shell lubricants for the shredders he manufactures and other
site applications.
Jose Costa, Sales Representative at CBC Wollongong, has been supplying Brentwood with all industrial requirements for the past 30 years, including the Shell range of Omala gear oils for their gearboxes. He says the choice of the Shell oil came as a recommendation from the Italian gearbox manufacturer.
“Where CBC has been able to support Brentwood with their lubrication requirements has been through regular supply of Shell lubricants, in collaboration with our premium partners, Viva Energy,” says Jose.
CBC and Viva Energy work hand-in-hand to help Brentwood with regular supply of lubricants, as well as providing technical support with oil quality analysis as part of the Shell LubeAnalyst service.
Melissa Hendriks, NSW Field-Based Account Manager with Viva Energy, receives the Shell oil samples from Brentwood regularly and forwards oil analysis reports that enable Brentwood to maintain a high level of service for their customers. She says the joint service provided by CBC and Viva Energy helps ensure maximum equipment reliability
for Brentwood.
“The Shell LubeAnalyst service is an important part of preventive maintenance for all industrial plants. By collecting the oil samples from Brentwood and overseeing the testing process via an authorised laboratory, we help Brentwood minimise machine repair costs and improve safety standards in the recycling plants under their service,” Melissa explains.
Additionally, the Viva Energy Technical Helpdesk offers expertise to Brentwood and CBC Wollongong when needed. Silvana Farrugia. Lubricants Technical Advisor at Viva Energy and valued member of the Technical Helpdesk, says the Shell Omala S4 WE polyalkylene glycol gear oil used by Brentwood in their gearboxes offers outstanding lubrication performance under severe operating conditions.
“Shell Omala S4 WE polyalkylene glycol gear oils offer energy efficiency, long service life and high resistance to micropitting. I always recommend using lubricant specified by the original equipment manufacturer,” she says.
For Graham, it’s this kind of comprehensive support from CBC and the close collaboration between CBC and its partners like Viva Energy that keeps him loyal to his supplier.
“With the good service that we received from CBC, having them on-board with us is like having a one-stop-shop,” he says.
The future looks bright for Brentwood. Graham says he expects huge growth in development of large-scale industrial plants, particularly in the demolition of construction material.
“We expect great growth in the industry over the next ten years and with our machinery, we know we can meet
that demand.”
REFERENCE:
https://www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/article/australia-bill-banning-export-of-unprocessed-waste-enacted/
