A leading specialist recycler of construction and demolition waste from Stoke on Trent has received a major boost in operational productivity and efficiency. SJ Walchester’s recently acquired QJ341 tracked jaw crusher from Sandvik has impressed all at the company with its reliability, effectiveness and ability to crush asphalt and tarmac even in warm weather.
Stoke-on-Trent based SJ Walchester Ltd is a specialist in demolition, earthmoving and recycling. From the initial enquiry, through to completion of the job, the company aims to deliver on all projects the highest of standards of professionalism, provide quality workmanship and ensure health & safety is paramount in everything it does. Being particularly noted for its demolition work, the company takes into account all factors ranging from the age of the building to the presence of asbestos, providing its customers with the perfect bespoke solution.
Furthermore, once the building has been demolished, Steve Walchester and his team will recycle the resulting debris, where possible, turning the waste materials into valuable and environmentally friendly aggregates and other building materials. In fact, SJ Walchester Ltd is well-known for supplying an extensive range of quarried and recycled aggregates for domestic and commercial projects across Stoke-on-Trent and the Potteries, whether it is MOT Type 1 aggregate, building sand, or large quantities of crushed stone, the company can supply it all.
Recycled aggregates
As a company, Steve and his team at SJ Walchester have strict procedures which are implemented on site. Accurate waste segregation means the company can recycle a huge proportion of waste generated from demolished buildings. Implementing a full dust suppression system on site throughout the works further enhances the environmental credentials of its modern and professional crushing and screening activities.
Being both proud of its hard-won reputation, and appreciative of the need to use the most advanced and effective equipment, Steve Walchester recently sought a new crushing solution for his recycled aggregates operation. To this end, the company is now operating a Sandvik QJ341 tracked jaw crusher, basing its decision to use a Sandvik machine due to the performance of the crusher during its demonstration, and the exceptional back up and support.
“We’ve used various crusher brands over the years, but from the initial demonstration the QJ341 was very good. It did more than I was expecting it do, and we got a lot greater output with it,” says managing director Steve Walchester. “In fact, what the crusher can do is a lot more than it said on the ‘tin’. The different functions on the crusher are very easy to flick between making it a very user-friendly machine.”
Security+ for peace of mind
No matter how good a crusher is, it is only as good as its support. Here Steve found again that Sandvik exceeded his expectations. “If the crusher was to break down it would cost us hundreds if not literally
thousands of pounds in lost downtime, wages and revenue. That is not to mention the damage to our reputation which is based on supplying customers with a high-quality product, when they need it, at a fair price.
That is the reason Steve decided to take the Sandvik Security+ Gold service agreement when he purchased the machine. This is Sandvik’s extended warranty programme offered through a service agreement which lasts for a duration of 2 years with the Gold+ package. Through 4 inspections throughout the year, preventative maintenance and inspections are carried out by a qualified engineer to ensure the unit is running at peak performance.
“My service and support experience are that Sandvik is 2ndto none. We had a problem the other week; I phoned Sandvik and within 3hrs Sandvik was on site and had fixed the problem.”
Recycling asphalt and tarmac
The company currently produces 2-3,000 tons of 6F2 or Type 1 each day from a variety of sources. The arisings mainly come from demolition work, with the materials consisting of demolition waste, reinforced concrete, bricks and 300mm lumps of asphalt. Much to Steve and his teams delight, even the latter has proved not to be a problem for the QJ341.
“I’ve used crushers from other manufacturers on asphalt and tarmac, and the QJ341 is the only jaw crusher I’ve experienced which will process it without problems. This is by its very nature sticky – especially when it melts in summer – with the hot conditions we experienced last summer being a case in point. Our previous crusher wouldn’t touch it and kept jumping the jaws. The QJ341 is simply able to be put into reverse and crushes as well as it does when set ‘forward’.
“We are the only company in the city (Stoke-on-Trent) with a crusher than is able to deal with asphalt and tarmac. This has meant that other demolition and road maintenance companies bringing their asphalt and tarmac to us for recycling. The Highways Agency is one of our regulars!”
Value for money
When push comes to shove, Steve believes he’s got what he paid for, plus more. “When we came to buy a new tracked jaw crusher the QJ341 wasn’t the most expensive we looked at, but it was by no means the cheapest either. However, I’d give it 100% for value for money with no hesitation. Pound for pound it’s been an excellent investment, and the material it processes for us has paid dividends. “I would have no hesitation in recommending the QJ341 to anyone in the market for a tracked jaw crusher: one, for value for money, and two, for Sandvik service and after care. I am now 100% committed to Sandvik. I’m so impressed with both the company and QJ341 that I am actually in the process of buying a new one.”
