Problem: Pallet dismantling operations generate a large volume of wood waste, and the pallet company pays a significant fee to a vendor to have the material hauled away for disposal.
Solution: Turnkey system supplied by Boulware Equipment grinds the scrap wood, removes metal fragments, and automatically loads trailer vans. Supplier also develops markets so the wood grindings are a revenue source.
Atlanta Pallets and Services manufactures new pallets and recycles used pallets. Like other companies with sizable pallet recycling operations, it generates a large volume of scrap wood from dismantling used pallets and trimming used lumber to length. In fact, the company generates about 160 tons of scrap wood per month.
For years the company has had to pay a vendor to haul away the scrap wood at a significant cost.
Zilhad Dzihic, president of the company, consulted with Boulware Equipment, which is based in North Carolina. Boulware offers turnkey solutions for the challenge of disposing of wood waste material, including developing markets for sawdust or chipped or ground wood fiber.
“It was a really big deal” to choose Boulware to supply an equipment solution, explained Zilhad, because Boulware helped his company develop markets for wood grindings. Unless the company had good markets to buy the material, it would not have been able to move forward with the project.
“Our costs dramatically decreased because we’re not paying anyone hauling away wood waste,” noted Zilhad. “Instead, we’re generating revenues. So, that was really amazing for us.”
The solution provided by Boulware impacted Atlanta Pallets the first month after being installed in January this year. “Instead of spending money,” said Zilhad, “we’re making money.”
Boulware supplied a rebuilt Destroyer HF-60-100 grinder that was originally manufactured by Cresswood Recycling Equipment. (Boulware represents Cresswood in the Southeast and is Cresswood’s largest dealer.)
The complete system also includes conveyors, a magnetic belt to remove metal contaminants, and a pneumatic material handling system to load 48’ trailer vans. Scrap pallets and wood are loaded into the grinder with a forklift. The scrap wood is collected and dumped with a hopper. Boulware also helped Atlanta Pallets develop customers for the wood fiber.
All the equipment is located outside in a compact footprint. It is user-friendly, said Zilhad, and easy to train someone to operate. One button on the control panel turns everything on.
“That’s really simple,” said Zilhad, compared to other equipment that involves numerous controls and switches. “The engineers did an amazing job by designing this control panel. By pushing one button, you turn on all conveyors at once.”
The system has functioned without problems or downtime, said Zilhad. “It’s constantly just running.”
Boulware Equipment turned in the project “right on time,” he added.
For more information about Boulware Equipment, visit the company’s website at www.boulwarellc.com or call (704) 651-6061 or (828) 772-5200.
