The global waste management and recycling firm FCC Environment, headquartered in the U.K., has taken delivery of the first JS20MH Wastemaster from JCB to be built in Europe.

FCC says that JCB’s materials handler, one of four machines to be built before Christmas 2012, is JCB’s first dedicated materials handler and is set to increase operational efficiency at FCC Environment’s Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) facility in Norwich, U.K.

In a release, FCC says the RDF facility will complement FCC’s existing material recycling facility in Norwich and will enable FCC Environment to offer its customers a fully integrated waste treatment service, including recycling and energy recovery from their waste as an alternative to landfill disposal.

While energy-from-waste (EfW) capacity comes on line in the U.K., RDF produced at Costessey, U.K., will be transported to EfW facilities in Europe where there is currently surplus capacity.

David Simpson, head of fleet and plants for FCC Environment, says, “We chose this new JCB materials handler to pre-sort and load the feedstock waste at the input end of the RDF production process more effectively.

“The machine’s ability to selectively sort the feedstock material prior to loading and also achieve the desired production rate set it apart from the other material handlers on the market. The long reach and high rise cab make this machine ideally suited for this type of handling operation.”

Alistair Smith, FCC Environment’s group plant manager, says, “The JCB JS20MH has the best in class for ground level reach, loadover pin height, swing torque and a competitive lift performance.”

FCC says the purchase of JCB’s Wastemaster is an important step for FCC Environment as it continues to invest in market leading technology and introduce the appropriate waste treatment infrastructure across the business to support its customers’ recycling and recovery needs.