Equipment Report

Sunnyvale, California, awards contract to BHS

Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), Eugene, Oregon, has been selected for a $34.5 million contract to design, manufacture and install the NextGen Integrated Processing System at the Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer Station to process material collected from Sunnyvale and Mountain View, California.

The NextGen System replaces existing equipment at the site and is capable of handling 100 tons per hour of municipal solid waste (MSW) and 20 tons per hour of source-separated recyclables.

The upgrade is designed to meet the NextGen Project’s goals:

• improving operational efficiency through a single integrated system for both MSW and source-separated recyclables;
• supporting Sunnyvale’s long-term sustainability goals;
• increasing diversion rates while enhancing the purity and quality of recovered materials; and
• recovering and diverting more than 75 percent of inbound MSW organic material for composting, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The system’s key technologies and features include:

• Max-AI AIR, a sorting solution combining artificial intelligence with high-speed air ejection to separate recyclables and reduce reliance on manual sorting;
• SpydIR-HS, a high-resolution optical sorter using hyperspectral imaging to identify and separate a wide range of materials with exceptional precision;
• Total Intelligence Platform, which provides real-time monitoring and analytics of material composition and system performance, enabling data-driven decision-making;
• BHS Debris Roll Screen and OCC Separator, patented screening technologies that separate materials based on size and shape, improving throughput and purity; and
• Nihot Windshifter and Single Drum Separator, which is a BHS patented process that sorts materials based on density into heavy and light fractions, enhancing overall recovery rates.

“The NextGen System sets a new standard for integrated waste processing in Sunnyvale, combining cutting-edge technology with proven design to maximize recovery and operational efficiency,” BHS CEO Steve Miller says.

BHS says it combines proprietary technologies with in-house engineering and manufacturing to ensure seamless and efficient project execution. BHS companies include Amsterdam-based Nihot, Nashville, Tennessee-based NRT and San Jose, California-based Zero Waste Energy. BHS also developed Max-AI detection and sorting technology.

GK acquires Australian system integrator and equipment provider

Crystal Lake, Illinois-based General Kinematics Corp. (GK) has acquired SKALA Australasia, an Australia-based full-service system integrator and equipment provider for the recycling and mining industries in Australia and New Zealand.

“It is exciting to add this well-respected brand to our organization,” GK CEO Thomas Musschoot says. “We identified a need in the Australian and New Zealand markets to make our mining and recycling system offerings more robust. Bringing the SKALA Australasia team on board allows us to immediately make a positive impact on our key markets.”

GK has partnered with SKALA for more than a decade, providing solutions to recyclers and mine sites around Australia and New Zealand.

Incorporated in 1960, GK is one of the world’s largest suppliers of vibratory processing equipment, with more than 50,000 General Kinematics units having been installed around the world.

SKALA Australasia is an equipment and systems provider with more than a decade of experience designing, supplying and installing industrial machinery and turnkey systems for the recycling, organics, mining, bulk handling and industrial process sectors.

“We are thrilled to join the GK family,” SKALA Australasia Director Simon Toal says. “Combining our successful reputation with the GK brand will allow us improved ways to fulfill the needs of our customer base.”

EverestLabs announces international deployment to Australia

Veolia Australia and New Zealand (Veolia ANZ) has selected EverestLabs to digitize and automate sorting operations at one of its material recovery facilities (MRFs) in Perth, Australia, marking the first deployment of its kind in the region and the first international installation for the Fremont, California-based technology company.

This move is part of Veolia’s broader global commitment to modernize recycling infrastructure and improve circular outcomes through innovation.

The deployment of EverestLabs’ modular vision artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic sorting solution enables Veolia ANZ to gain real-time visibility into plant operations, address labor challenges and increase material recovery rates, according to the supplier.

Veolia ANZ selected EverestLabs’ RecycleOS solution for its turnkey deployment model, accuracy and modular design that can be retrofitted into existing MRF infrastructure, according to a news release issued by EverestLabs. Each EverestLabs robotic cell is equipped with vision AI that scans and identifies recyclables in real time. The system then directs robotic arms to select and sort targeted items directly from the conveyor belt. EverestLabs claims 90 percent pick success, two to three times the speed of manual sorting and around-the-clock uptime.

Everestlabs says its robots are compact, install in just hours without retrofits and are monitored 24/7 by EverestLabs’ Robotic Operations Center to ensure consistent performance. This enables Veolia ANZ to recover more high-quality materials, reduce landfill volumes and operate more safely by eliminating the need for human workers in hazardous sorting zones.

EverestLabs’ AI and robotic technologies have been deployed by major recycling companies in the U.S., including Republic Services, Waste Connections and Novelis.