The recent flooding of epic proportions that hit Belgium and Germany in mid-July this year caused unprecedented destruction in the German Ahrweiler district. Using Lindner’s mobile Urraco 95DK universal shredder, the German firm Wertstoff- & Recyclinghof Kockmann GmbH is supporting the clean-up efforts on the ground. For this very special disaster response mission, Austrian recycling specialist Lindner Recyclingtech GmbH, supplied the rotor, the beating heart of the shredder, free of charge.
In mid-July 2021, the Ahr river burst its banks and sent water surging through the local area, causing unprecedented devastation. Over 140 people lost their lives in the flash floods, while an estimated 17 000 lost everything they had. When the disaster-recovery workers arrived on the scene, they were confronted with a picture of utter destruction.
Bulky waste clogged the streets and alleys, mountains of driftwood and debris piled up on the banks of the Ahr, in meadows and former sports facilities. Many volunteers came from far and wide to support the hard-hit population.
Among the helpers are the waste management company Wertstoff- & Recyclinghof Kockmann from Ochtrup, some 250 km away. CEO Martin Brinkschmidt personally delivered Lindner Recyclingtech’s Urraco 95DK to the area devastated by the Ahr that was transported on-site with the assistance of the German Army.
That’s more or less how I imagine a war zone to be. There is a lot to do. We are dealing with the mountains of driftwood. Lindner specifically sent us two technicians to personally install the powerful and robust LW-10.10 twin-shaft cutting system, which is also perfectly suitable for bulky waste wood, said a moved Martin Brinkschmidt on his arrival to the disaster area describing the scene of collapsed houses, washed away bridges, and mountains of debris.
Twin-shaft system
When our customers set out to help in a disaster area, we are more than happy to support them. Our Urraco mobile shredder is inherently versatile and can be used for wood, waste wood, metal, and bulky goods. Each material has different requirements and the twin-shaft cutting system we install in each Urraco is adapted to the specifics of the input material. In the beginning, we didn’t know how to best support the disaster relief efforts on the ground. When the Urraco was called in to shred driftwood, we immediately dispatched an installation team to make the shredder fit for the specific requirements, said Wulf Schellwanich, Sales Manager at Lindner Recyclingtech. ‘
According to Lindner, this twin-shaft cutting system is incredibly resistant to non-shreddable material, which is critical in situations like these. The driftwood and debris in the flooded area are mixed up with mud and stones as well as materials such as mattresses, metal grates, and other objects and furnishings that were washed out of basements, and living rooms.
The specifically designed pull-in rippers ensure that the material is shredded with maximum efficiency. These rippers pull the material into the rotor with special hooks, achieving continuous material feeding and a consistent throughput quality.
The material we shred is very special – heavily soaked, muddy, and rich in minerals. In terms of power and performance, this is not a challenge for the Urraco. We shred more than 50 metric tonnes of material an hour, and we do that 12 to 14 hours a day, 7 days a week, said a satisfied Martin Brinkschmidt.
Although the clean-up has been in full swing for over a month, the Kockmann employees will probably remain on site with the Urraco for another two to three months and support the disaster relief in their clean-up efforts.
