Volvo CE: Emission-free recycling in Bavaria

German recycling firm, Böhm Entsorgung, is using electric machines from Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE).

German firm Böhm Entsorgung is making quite a name for itself in its hometown of Möttingen as a trailblazer in the recycling of paper, wood and plastic. In its enclosed trans-shipment hall, a Volvo L25 Electric wheel loader from Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has just finished sorting a delivery of raw materials for further processing – all completed without emitting any exhaust fumes.

Wastepaper is an important raw material. “In Europe, 75% of paper is currently recycled,” explains Manuel Reinsch, Managing Director of Böhm-Entsorgungs GmbH. “In order to achieve such a high recycling rate, the raw material must first be sorted to ensure that it is as pure as possible, dry, and free from contaminants, such as glue or staples.”

For this reason, Böhm Entsorgung has built a large trans-shipment hall on its 60,000 square metre site, where the containers with wastepaper that has been collected from printing plants, industrial companies and recycling centres can be unloaded and kept dry, whatever the weather. Between stacks of paper bales, the electric wheel loader uses its shovel to pull apart the mountain of paper that has just been delivered and unloaded from a truck and pushes the material in manageable quantities onto a conveyor belt which then feeds the paper to the press. The fact that the new Volvo L25 Electric wheel loader moves almost silently around the hall goes mostly unnoticed over the noise from the conveyor belts and large presses. However low noise operation was not the deciding factor for the purchase of an electric wheel loader from Volvo CE. “For us, it was crucial that the wheel loader did not emit any exhaust gases because it is predominantly used in enclosed spaces,” explains Manuel Reinsch

For this family-run recycling company, an environmentally friendly operation is of great importance. At its state-of-the-art facilities, its 90 employees feed waste and raw materials of all kinds into the recycling process. Solar panels cover the hall roofs, supplying electricity to power the operation of the presses, shredders and conveyor belts – and now also for charging the firm’s Volvo L25 Electric. “Wheel loaders with an electric drive are an important step for us towards a climate-neutral future,” says Manuel Reinsch. A second electric wheel loader, the slightly smaller, more compact Volvo L20 Electric is already on order from Volvo CE. With a battery capacity of 39kWh, the Volvo L25 Electric can work continuously for six hours before it requires charging. This is more than sufficient for one working day, as driver Christian Gorowoy determined within just the first few months of use. Christian is enthusiastic about the performance of the Volvo L25 Electric. “Paper and plastic films are very heavy materials, but the Volvo L25 Electric can handle them effortlessly,” says Gorowoy. He also appreciates the manoeuvrability and good all-round visibility afforded by the machine. And he is pleased that his employer is investing in climate-friendly technologies. “We all need to do something, for the future of our children.”

Böhm Entsorgung has used Volvo CE machines for many years. In its machine park, there are two Volvo L150H wheel loaders as well as two material handlers, an EW240E and an EW160E with elevated cab, both of which are ideal for waste and recycling applications and are used here for sorting old materials and loading the containers. “The quality, performance and efficiency of Volvo machines speak for themselves,” says Manuel Reinsch. “But the first-class service and excellent support we receive from Alexander Lemke and the entire team at German Dealer Robert Aebi GmbH is just as important.”