Avery Weigh-Tronix unveils weighbridge ‘care’ package
Weighing equipment manufacturer, Avery Weigh-Tronix, has unveiled its ‘Uptime Select’ servicing package, which will be available to weighbridge operators across the UK.
The company introduced Uptime Select – which is designed to ‘safeguard’ operational weighing performance – at a launch last month (23 May), at its headquarters in Smethwick.
Services include routine preventative maintenance, recalibration, reverification, emergency call out and product repair or replacement.
The company’s three Uptime Select product groups meet the different service cover needs for major categories of weighing equipment: weighbridges (with BridgeCare Total and BridgeCare); heavy-capacity integrated scales (with WeighCare Total and WeighCare); and standalone, light capacity scales (with ProCare Total and ProCare).
According to Avery, for business-critical equipment, Care Total agreements give the assurance of 97%-99% uptime through fully-inclusive service and maintenance cover – which the company said will be backed by a proportional refund of the annual premium if the agreed service level is not met.
Alternatively, Avery’s Care plan agreements offer 8-hour/next-day response and comprehensive cover.
As part of the package, Avery said it will assign all customers with a named team of engineers, to ensure “operational familiarity and service continuity”.
Avery plans to achieve these results, through a 24-hour National Response Centre, and by deploying 150 engineers, who will co-ordinate field service calls.
According to Avery, any UK postcode sits within 26 minutes’ travelling time of a qualified engineer. And, it said its fleet of 10 weighbridge test units are “strategically-placed” to ensure reverification equipment is less than an hour away.
Billing accuracy
Avery explained that “scale equipment capable of reliable and repeatable weighing is essential for improving billing accuracy and the overall bottom line in recycling applications”.
Rail scales, truck scales, floor scales and forklift scales, are all typically used for recycling applications.
The company’s Waste and Recycling Brochure notes that weighbridges are used for In/out weighing, to avoid overloading penalties, to maximise vehicle capacity and fuel efficiency, and, legal-for-trade weighing of entire vehicle.
Paul Hines, innovation director at Avery Weigh-Tronix, said: “We spoke to our customers and designed a solution which reflects what they really want and need from service agreements.”
“Avery Weigh-Tronix has swept away the complexity and confusion associated with traditional service contracts. Our new products are completely transparent: customers can see instantly what is and is not included, and what (if anything) may be chargeable.”
“Most importantly, since engineering teams become familiar with their customers’ sites, we can ensure even faster call-to-fix times to keep downtime to an absolute minimum.”
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Whitham Mills to explore 3D printing technology
Waste management and machinery designer and manufacturer, Whitham Mills, is to formally explore the use of 3D printing technology to manufacture breakdown and repair parts on customers’ sites to reduce baler downtime.
The company said it will investigate the process of training staff and requirements for fitting out vehicles with the necessary technology to produce a range of specific machine parts other than standard consumables.
According to Whitham Mills, the study, which will be carried out by its engineering team, will be used as a “test-bed” designed to accelerate repair times by enabling every maintenance vehicle to carry an unlimited number of components which would be downloaded and 3D printed.
Whitham Mills explained that 3D printing technology has now become available on the high street. And, developments in techniques mean that printing of parts made form stainless steel, titanium and cobalt chromium in a process called direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), is now “commonplace”.
The technology is being used in sectors such as aerospace and a range of medical applications.
The company added that this is in addition to the ceramic, plastic polymers, rubber and fabric materials which can also be made using similar techniques.
Ben Smart, managing director of Whitham Mills, said: “We are continually thinking about service response times and what we can do differently to keep our customers happy. In the future we’ll be able to bring the entire Whitham Mills factory direct to your baling system.
“We are convinced that companies like ours need to keep moving and innovating in order to remain competitive. That’s why we are pushing ourselves to discover what can be done with this technology and investigating its use. These are exciting times.”
Whitham Mills provides machinery to a range of public and private sector organisations in the waste management, retail and warehousing sectors.
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CTS takes delivery of 10 new vehicles
Gloucestershire-based municipal vehicle hire company, CTS, has taken delivery of 10 new vehicles, including seven new refuse collection vehicles (RCVs), increasing its hire fleet to 200 vehicles.
The new vehicles, which the company reports are already out on hire, include three 3.5t Dennis Eagle rear steer vehicles, two 18t Dennis Eagle RCVs and 2 DAF NTM refuse trucks.
Bob Sweetland, managing director, CTS said: “In the past 12 months we have practically doubled the CTS fleet and our aim is to continue this rate of expansion during 2017. As well as our short term hire service we also have a number of contract hire customers who have chosen CTS for their entire fleet provision.”
CTS provides municipal vehicle hire services for the short or long term, and is part of contract hire and fleet management company Specialist Fleet Services Ltd (SFS).
CTS said the company stocks a wide range of vehicles of different makes, models, sizes and specifications from 3.5t to 32t Refuse Collection Vehicles (RCV’s), specialist recycling vehicles and self-drive hire sweepers to hook loaders, skip loaders and caged tippers.
According to CTS, the fleet is supported by a 24/7 breakdown and recovery service, and a team of mobile engineers, as well as a network of nationwide workshops and service agents. And the company said all of its vehicles carry a tracker to allow customers to monitor performance and for traceability.
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