The Sennebogen 822 G features intelligent and resource-saving machine technology and comfort.

Sennebogen, Straubing, Germany, has updated its 22 t 818 E recycling all-rounder to the latest G series machine generation. The company says the update makes it possible to handle and sort material in a particularly environmentally friendly and economical way. 

The compact 822 G material handler has a reach of up to 10 meters and a comfort cab that can be elevated as standard. The machine can be individually configured and features numerous equipment variants.   

The company says the 822 G is highly responsive with hydraulics that can be adjusted precisely by the operator and fast, overlapping movements with a hydraulic system that is optimized for demanding tasks in recycling and scrap yards. Additionally, the machine uses green efficiency technology to save resources and work efficiently. Pumps and large-scale hydraulic valves and lines ensure optimum efficiency.   

The 822 G now has a 110 kilowatt Stage V diesel engine with 3.8 l displacement, which is ideally suited in terms of power and consumption to the operating conditions in recycling and scrap. In addition to the low operating costs, the G series is also synonymous with Sennebogen’s 6th-generation material handling technology.  

The company says a particular focus has been placed on maintenance and service with the G series. The machine features an outward-folding lubrication system and an improved refueling to make servicing the machine convenient and safe. The 822 G also features an e-box, protecting the central electrical distributors and electronic modules from environmental influences in extreme conditions and ensuring maximum machine availability. The result means the extended time between maintenance.   

The premiere of the 822 G will take place from May 30 to June 3 at IFAT 2022 in Munich. Discover the new G series at Sennebogen’s trade fair stand in hall C5, stand 241/340. 

The company plans to accelerate the decarbonization of the aluminum industry.

Novelis Inc., an aluminum rolling and recycling company based in Atlanta, has announced it has joined the First Movers Coalition (FMC). The organization is a global initiative aimed at decarbonizing eight hard to abate sectors, including aluminum, steel and trucking.  

Novelis says through the partnership, it will take a prominent role among a global network of companies committed to jump-starting demand for clean energy technologies to reduce carbon emissions from the aluminum manufacturing process.   

The FMC, launched during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in 2021, is a joint venture of the World Economic Forum and the U.S. Department of State. The FMC serves as a platform for businesses globally, alongside governments, to leverage their purchasing power and supply chains to create early markets for innovative, clean energy technologies.   

Novelis plans to help expand the use of recycled aluminum globally and help scale new technology in the field. It is unclear how the company plans to do this, however, Suzanne Lindsay-Walker, the vice president of sustainability for Novelis, says the company has begun working with its supply chain to develop a plan to put in place in the future.  

“We have our goal to reduce our carbon footprint to be carbon neutral, and we know we can't achieve those goals without new technology that this commitment helps to scale,” Lindsay-Walker says. “This sends a demand signal for the primary industry to let them know that there's a demand, and we want to help them scale the technologies that are needed for all of us to meet our goals.”  

Ball Corp., Westminster, Colorado, also joined the coalition. By joining the FMC, both companies have pledged that by 2030, 10 percent of its primary aluminum purchases be near-zero, emitting less than 3t CO2 per ton. The FMC pledge also includes an assurance that by 2030 at least 50 percent of all aluminum Novelis uses is from recycled sources, a metric that the company has already surpassed with 57 percent of its inputs from recycled sources.  

Novelis' commitments to the FMC complement its goals to accomplish a 30 percent carbon footprint reduction by 2026 and to be carbon neutral by 2050 or sooner. Lindsay-Walker says there are five key levers to achieving this goal, including maximizing circularity by increasing recycle input, innovating around and introducing new high recycling alloys, increasing capacity to recycle and making Novelis operations more sustainable. The fifth lever is the decarbonization of primary aluminum, which is why the company joined the coalition.  

Steve Fisher, president and CEO of Novelis Inc., will announce Novelis' commitment to the FMC during a panel session at the Industry Transition Dialogue in Stockholm June 1. The panel will be chaired by Nancy Gillis, program head of climate action and First Movers Coalition, with special remarks by John Kerry, U.S. special presidential envoy for the climate. Click here for more.  

"Novelis is eager to continue our efforts to decarbonize the aluminum industry, as well as support decarbonization in numerous adjacent industries relying on aluminum, by joining the First Movers Coalition," Fisher says. "Aluminum has the potential to reach a near zero-carbon footprint, but it requires investment in clean energy and taking some risks to move the industry forward. Partnerships like the First Movers Coalition can spur those investments by supporting an emerging market for developing technologies.” 

The updated “toolbox” provides more detail on legal authorities that EPA can deploy to ensure the protection of the environment and civilians.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled its review of over a dozen existing laws in order to better protect marginalized communities from pollution.

Referred to as a “legal toolbox” to help the agency work toward broadened environmental justice (EJ) efforts set forth by the Biden Administration, the updated 191-page document reflects statutory changes that have been made since the EPA published its first iteration in 2014.

“[The] ‘EPA Legal Tools to Advance Environmental Justice’ is intended to help EPA, together with its state, tribal and local partners, achieve the shared goal of protecting the health and environment of all personas across the U.S. and in all communities,” states the EPA.

The updated toolbox provides more detail and expands upon other authorities under the EPA, such as Clean Air Act (CAA) programs, water programs, solid waste and emergency response programs, pesticides and toxics programs, as well as grant assistance.

EPA Administrator Michael Reagan states in the document’s introduction that the toolbox “showcases a wide range of legal authorities that EPA can deploy to ensure its programs and activities protect the health and environment of all people, no matter the color of their skin, their zip code or how much money they have in their pocket.”

As reported by Bloomberg Law, the roadmap also reflects Regan’s 2021 call to all employees to find more ways to integrate environmental equity in their work as the administration pushes to make environmental justice a key platform across agencies.

Overall, the document outlines a more detailed discussion of how EPA can wield civil rights law that bars discrimination, including in programs and activities awarded funding from the agency.

While the document is primarily written for internal use, it also could assist states authorized to enforce environmental law and regulations as well as environmental justice advocacy groups and industry attorneys.

See how Rammer's Ho Pac compactor can handle different tasks on your job site.

Rammer Ho-Pac vibratory compactor drivers save time and money and increase productivity by expanding versatility and eliminating the need for special-purpose machines, such as walk-behind plate compactors or ride-on rollers.

The Ho-Pac models use an eccentric, rotating weight that creates vibrations and impulse energy for effective soil compaction. Not only can you use the attachment to compact soil on the job site, but depending on the model, it can also be used to drive pilings, aluminum sea walls, wood and steel sheeting, beams, pipes and posts. 

Initially conceived as a backhoe-mounted attachment, the Ho-Pac line is comprised of many models designed to be mounted on various carriers, including miniexcavators, rubber-tired backhoes, excavators and trenchers with a backhoe attachment.

For more information, visit rammer.com.

Here are eight questions to ask before moving forward with a software supplier to assure profitability.

Choosing the right software can be a complex and costly task. Operators can’t recoup time and costs associated with onboarding a new system or getting stuck in a long contract for a system that doesn’t meet expectations. Even a small hiccup in streamlining operations can set businesses behind competitors.

Here are eight questions to ask before moving forward with a software supplier to increase profitability.

1. What do I need to accomplish with a software solution?

The first step in choosing a software system for an operation is to define its goals. For example:

Once growth goals are defined, a business can better assess whether it’s time for a system upgrade.

‍2. Do I have quick access to critical business data so I can see in real time where I can reduce waste and improve productivity?

If real-time access to business data tracking profitability, growth, units, drivers and customers, is not currently available, companies are missing out on revenue and increased profitability. It’s important to ask software suppliers if they provide access to dynamic versus static data and the instrumentation to make live adjustments to driver routes, pricing, billing, inventory management and other daily activities that affect productivity and profitability.‍

3. Does my software allow me to dynamically analyze profitability per unit from every conceivable angle?

To identify where there are losses or gains in profitability, a system needs to show expense information. This includes truck and driver operating costs, fuel, disposal, insurance, maintenance, taxes and fees,  overhead and debt service. If a system allows customization of expense inputs for data analysis, businesses can instantly compute profitability by truck, route, driver, hour, job and customer. The ability to adjust these variables simply and accurately, which can improve profitability, is a guiding principle upon which Starlight Software Solutions is built.

4. Can I access all my data directly and run my own reports?

A leading complaint among users of waste management software is the long wait for reports from suppliers. While some businesses wait days, or weeks to see where efficiency can be improved, competiting companies  with access to its data in real time are speeding ahead.

Operators should ask every software supplier being considered about the ability to access the data it needs. They also should ask about running reports on their own versus paying software companies to run reports. Other questions to ask include:

Starlight’s solution integrates the Exago reporting engine which allows users to drag and drop data from various sources into the reports they need, when they need them. Included is an example of our reporting system.

5. Can I see my inventory live and execute new dispatch directions instantly?

‍It happens every day. A customer needs a pickup earlier than planned and another customer needs a roll-off as soon as possible. If businesses can’t instantly transmit route and order changes to drivers, opportunities for serving customers and capturing new revenue are often lost.

If you can’t monitor your assets, trucks, drivers and containers in real time and manage operations across the entire fleet in one view, its difficult to find and correct inefficiencies quickly. The only way to maximize efficiencies is to have 100 percent visibility of all assets and complete, real-time control.‍

6. How should my software help me scale growth?

Without the cloud as a platform for operations and profitability data, businesses will be stuck while competitors cruise by them.

Be sure any system being considered is easy to use across computers, tablets and smart phones. Suppliers being evaluated should offer a flexible integration framework and be committed to an open architecture approach so operators can integrate current applications and needed peripheral systems to support ongoing growth. Some suppliers require businesses to use just their peripherals, which can be far too limiting.

While many software programs designed for the waste management industry started on legacy platforms, most have transitioned to the cloud or will soon. Businesses should ask their current suppliers about plans to transition to a cloud-based environment, and how this move will impact operations. Below is an example of device responsiveness for Starlight’s solution.

7. What technology will help me scale quickly and efficiently?

There are three distinct technological advantages that drive scalability that should be discussed with potential software suppliers.

A modern, dynamic ERP system is built using best-in-industry microservices architecture which automatically scales with growth. Amazon Web Services, Starlight’s hosting platform is an example of a scalable infrastructure which provides endless opportunities.

2.  Real-time design and real network intelligent endpoints‍

The software solution is the hub of the wheel that motors a company forward. A properly deployed cloud-based software system has intelligent endpoints, or spokes, that gather data and process it into actionable insights that can be used to assess and improve efficiency and best manage a company’s overall entire operation. Forward-thinking software solutions will offer real-time and network intelligent endpoints that also include customers in a business’s ecosystem. Customized apps that let customers engage a company for changes, pricing updates and new orders in real time are one example. Having live insight into locations and the status of assets will help manage jobs and inventory better to address demand immediately.

Businesses should also ask about third-party integration for the hardware and software used daily for in-cab systems, scale systems, accounting and other business functions. It’s importantsoftware suppliers support third-party endpoints in a network and integrate and support their own. This lets businesses be the driver, capitalizing on the investments you have and will make.‍

8. What can I expect for onboarding and long-term service specific to my needs?

When considering new software suppliers, additional factors are key to keep in mind include:‍

Startup and conversion‍: It is key to ask suppliers about their processes for onboarding, conversion from existing systems and long-term support. During a vetting process, it is also important to ask their customers about their experiences and how quickly they resolve issues and training quality.

Partnership value and user-influence‍: It is important to know the partnership value provided beyond the products delivered. Do they involve customers in developing new features, functionality and processes to build a product users want vs. one they can easily profit from? Do they charge for extra training or trouble shooting? Do they provide insights and resources that will help you grow your business?

Finally, do their contract terms favor the business or them? Long-term contracts without termination clauses should be avoided. Getting stuck in a contract with a supplier that does not deliver on promises or update its system to keep up with industry changes can be costly.

A software decision is one a business will need to be happy with for a long time. Choosing a partner versus a supplier is critical to the outcomes you will achieve.

Starlight Software Solutions, Denver, was founded by Bill Bradley, a roll-off container entrepreneur, who created his own system when nothing existed specific to his needs. Relying on his years as a software executive and a diverse user advisory council, he built Starlight Software Solutions with one goal in mind: drive efficiency, profitability and scale.

The goal of the entire Starlight team is to help customers gain maximum productivity from every asset. For waste management companies, that means removing old processes that drain time and bog down inventory management, order taking, reporting, billing, invoicing and other activities that build profitability and return on investment.

Waste companies using Starlight’s solution to manage inventory and assets in real time have increased revenue by about 30 percent within months. In addition, they have achieved higher customer satisfaction which enables them to achieve long-term loyalty and more recurring revenue streams.

For more information, click here or email info@starlightsoftwaresolutions.com.