Waste management & recycling specialist Veolia Environmental Services UK has purchased a new Thorworld yardramp – replacing its existing model, which had been in use for 25 years.
The leading waste management company in the UK, Veolia has several Thorworld yardramps in operation at its sites across the country, using them to unload containers of waste products sent in from around the world from countries as diverse as Kenya and Paraguay.
"Our services include the management of hazardous waste, so we need safe, sturdy and reliable loading; Thorworld's yardramps have always delivered those qualities," confirms Gary Cockcroft of Veolia Environmental Services.
Thorworld's long-standing relationship with Veolia is underscored by the provision of an annual service on each yardramp, plus offering employee training on the proper use of yardramps, in order to make sure that operation is at peak efficiency.
It was while conducting training at Veolia's Ellesmere Port site that Thorworld's engineer was forced to put a prohibition notice on the ramp, after noticing signs of failure caused by the replacement of crucial pivot pins with pins of an incorrect specification unauthorised by Thorworld, earlier in the ramp's working life. Thorworld quickly organised a replacement ramp while it took the original back to its Chesterfield manufacturing site to begin repairs.
Upon checking the history of the ramp, Thorworld discovered that Veolia was still using ramp no. 38, one of Thorworld's earliest solutions built in 1987. Given the age, Thorworld was not surprised to find crucial beams had become dented and stressed over time, presenting potential risks in the near future if not replaced.
Veolia was given a choice – to complete the full repairs on ramp no. 38, or to purchase the new model with a part-exchange allowance for selling back the original.
"Our ramp replacement deal is amongst our most popular solutions, giving our customers the ideal combination of business continuity (because staff understand how to best use our yardramps) and the peace of mind that they have the most up-to-date equipment available," explains John Meale, managing director of Thorworld Industries.
Veolia weighed up the long-term cost of ownership and reached the decision that it was time to retire its old ramp and take Thorworld up of the replacement offer.
The company now benefits from a Thorworld 10,000 kg capacity Type 6 Deluxe ramp, featuring full width access and a 300 mm deep exit lip for ease of access to trailers. The yardramp also features fold down entry ramps, high safety side rail, multiple towing options and manual hydraulic height adjustment for fast and efficient loading and unloading.
The decision was made easy for Veolia after the Ellesmere Port team clamoured to keep the new model.
"Even after 25 years, our original Thorworld yardramp was still right for our needs, but because the new model is slightly wider and longer, our operators now have greater scope and manoeuvrability to perform their duties," confirms Gary Cockcroft.
Veolia will continue to benefit from Thorworld's annual service contract and its Mobile Yardramp Training programme. Carried out on-site for up to 10 employees at any one time, the course is designed to train customers in the safe and efficient use of Thorworld ramps. Although not a legal requirement, the course has been developed to help employers meet their requirement under the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
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