With a WEIMA WL 13 single-shaft shredder and a TH 820 briquetting press, Hutchings Timber makes clever use of wood waste to save costs, sustainably heat premises and sell briquettes profitably.
For over 30 years, Hutchings Timber in Deal, Kent, UK, has been providing everything craftsmen and DIY enthusiasts could wish for. The leading timber merchant has an extensive portfolio. In addition to classic wood building materials such as sawn timber, planed or treated wood, wood trim, panels, hardwood or softwood, and paneling, Hutchings Timber also offers decorative items, doors, gardening materials, tools, and paint.
WEIMA WL 13
When it comes to products, however, Hutchings Timber not only emphasizes quality, but also sustainability. For example, the family business only uses and sells timber grown in the UK. This supports the local economy and reduces the ecological footprint of the products immensely. With a holistic approach, the products offered, supply chains, but also the production in the own company are regularly reviewed by the company itself. With the latest investments, the long-established family business shows that the course is set for the future.
Wood
Safely controlling hazardous wood dust
Wood is and remains one of the most important natural and ecological materials. Wood waste, as well as wood dust generated during wood processing, are well-known problems. While bulky wood scrap occupies valuable storage space or requires expensive disposal, wood dust poses a much higher risk: It is highly flammable, explosive and endangers the health of workers on the store floor.
In order to minimize these problems and dangers in the future, Hutchings Timber some time ago commissioned Fercell, the British dealer for WEIMA machines located only an hour's drive to the west, to optimize the use of all production waste. In addition to an extraction system and a chip silo including filter, Fercell was able to install two machines from WEIMA. A WEIMA WL 13 single-shaft shredder and a TH 820 briquetting press are now part of the company's machinery.
With a working width of 1,300 mm and a rotor diameter of 370 mm, the WL 13 chipper shreds accumulating production waste such as wood scrap, offcuts or pallets into homogeneous wood chips. A robust and low-maintenance electromechanical drive powers the chipper. The unique feature: The WAP gearbox is specially designed for shredding operation and manufactured by WEIMA in Ilsfeld. Adjustable counter-knives make shredding particularly energy-efficient and minimize wear costs. In addition, the knife service life can be significantly extended.
WL 13 shredder next to the extraction system
Briquetting in summer - burning briquettes in winter
Hutchings Timber's waste-to-energy system includes a wood-burning oven that heats production and sales areas. However, Hutchings Timber only needs heating energy during the colder winter months. The solution: Briquette in summer - heat with briquettes in winter.
The shredded wood, as well as wood shavings and sawdust from production, are fed via the central extraction system into the externally installed chip silo with a capacity of 12 m³. A screw conveyor transports the shredded wood waste and the wood dust into the briquetting press from WEIMA.
With an extra-large hopper measuring 2,000 x 2,000 mm and a throughput capacity of up to 180 kilograms per hour, the WEIMA TH 820 briquetting press is ideal for large-volume production of briquettes . With its specially hardened press cylinder, the hydraulically precisely controlled press clamp ensures high-strength, round briquettes with a diameter of 80 mm - completely without the addition of adhesives or binders. This can reduce the volume of wood waste by up to 90 percent. The briquettes can then be stored in a space-saving manner until they are needed to generate heating energy.
The shredding and subsequent briquetting process gives briquettes a very high energy density. Thus, their calorific value in the wood stove is comparable to that of lignite. The new system at Hutchings Timber reduces wood waste volume and disposal costs, maximizes valuable storage space, and minimizes the risk of fire and explosion. In addition, the timber merchant heats its own premises in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner, or sells the briquettes that are not used for heating at a profit. Many good reasons for sustainable use of wood waste.
More than 37,000 machines sold worldwide! WEIMA has been manufacturing robust shredders and briquetting presses for the disposal and processing of all types of waste for more than four decades. Our machines include single-shaft shredders, four-shaft shredders, cutting mills and briquette presses. The popular blood orange machines are used in the wood, plastics, paper, metal and waste-to-energy industries.
Made in Germany. Built for the world.
Shredders and briquette presses from WEIMA are exclusively made in Germany and come from production plants in Saxony-Anhalt and Baden-Wuerttemberg. Every year, more than 300 employees work on around 1,200 customer solutions from around the globe. We have long-standing sales and service locations in the USA, Poland, India and China. More than 80 representatives supplement this global presence.
