One of Scotland’s largest construction firms, City Building, has installed a roll-packer machine at its recycling plant in Springburn, Glasgow.

The Mobile-Jumbo V roll-packer, RPM7700-V, is the first model of this machine in operation in Scotland. Designed by German firm Bergmann, the roll-packer breaks up and compacts waste material in open containers, allowing them to hold up to five times more waste material.

City Building recycles 53 per cent of all waste its recycling plant, more than two million kilos every year, including wood, metals, electrical goods and cardboard.

The new machine, which has been in operation at City Building since early October, will help the firm to cut waste disposal costs by more than 10 per cent. It will also reduce trips by City Building to recycling sites, meaning fewer CO2 emissions.

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City Building employs 2,200 people and turns over almost £200 million a year. Managing Director Willie Docherty said: “As a busy construction firm with an annual revenue of £200m, we have a lot of waste to dispose of, so compacting this waste down to a fifth of its size with this new roll-packer is making a real difference to our already-impressive sustainability record.

“It’s good for the environment and good for business.”

Sustainability is at the heart of City Building’s work, and its efforts to reduce its carbon emissions have seen its carbon footprint reduce by 25 per cent over the last three years. It has been awarded ISO 14001 status across all areas of the business.

City Building is hiring the machine from the main UK agent Bergmann Direct.

David Boyd of Bergmann Direct said: “In a very tight financial time for local authorities in particular, the mobile roll-packer will make a significant contribution to reducing non-staff costs like waste transport and fuel, in some cases by as much as 80 per cent. Any organisation using large open containers for waste disposal will see huge savings with the Bergmann roll-packer.”

Wherever possible, City Building aims to minimise the amount of waste created, by re-using or re-cycling where possible and only disposing of waste if absolutely necessary. The roll packer is therefore a significant step forward in ensuring that container space is maximised, with a reduction in transport of benefit not only to the business, but also to the local and national environment.

(GK/KMcA)