West Midlands-based skip hire and recycling firm, SB Waste, has boosted productivity and eliminated waste to landfill after investing in a Pronar 2.85G shredder supplied by Global Machinery Solutions.
Background
Operating in the West Midlands, SB Waste processes commercial construction waste from projects across Birmingham, alongside residential material handled on behalf of City of Wolverhampton Council.
Prior to 2025, grade C wood was separated on site and sent to a third-party processor for preparation as biomass fuel. However, refurbishment programmes at several power stations temporarily halted wood acceptance, creating a nationwide bottleneck and rapidly increasing stockpiles.
The growing backlog presented operational, fire safety and environmental risks, while rising market costs placed further pressure on margins. Although SB Waste already operated a shredder, additional throughput and flexibility were required to maintain continuity.
The solution
SB Waste invested in the Pronar 2.85G following consultation with Jason Purllant, Recycling Sales Manager at Global Machinery Solutions.
The dual-shaft, slow-speed shredder is designed to process multiple waste streams – including wood, C&D waste, green waste and general skip material – using interchangeable shaft configurations and adjustable breaking bars. Output sizes can be tailored between 100mm and 300mm depending on specification.
The results
Once commissioned, the Pronar 2.85G was immediately deployed to tackle the wood backlog. Its high torque and robust tooth design enabled significantly greater throughput than the site’s previous machine, while reducing downtime caused by problematic materials such as plastic sheeting wrapping around shafts.
Stockpiled wood volumes were reduced by approximately one third, enabling storage until biomass outlets resumed acceptance.
With the backlog cleared, SB Waste redeployed the shredder across wider operations. The machine now processes general skip waste into refuse derived fuel (RDF) for dispatch to an energy-from-waste facility. As a result, the business no longer sends any waste to landfill.
Using a single, versatile shredder across multiple streams has removed operational bottlenecks, reduced handling stages and lowered running costs. Overall site production has increased by 50%.
The ability to process grade C wood in-house has also created a new revenue stream, enabling SB Waste to supply material directly to power stations rather than relying on third-party processors.
Steve Broadley, Managing Director of SB Waste, commented: “The Pronar 2.85G has transformed our operation. It helped us overcome a serious bottleneck, improve efficiency across site and create additional revenue. It has put us in a much stronger position for the future.”
Jason Purllant, Recycling Sales Manager at Global Machinery Solutions, added: “SB Waste needed a versatile shredder capable of switching between materials without creating downtime. The Pronar 2.85G is practical, efficient and easy to integrate into busy recycling sites. It’s rewarding to see the investment delivering measurable operational and commercial benefits.”
Global Machinery Solutions provides machinery to the forestry, recycling, waste, construction, aggregates and confidential shredding industries across the UK, Ireland and Europe.
Pictured: a Pronar shredder processing waste wood