ATF Professional wanted to find out what has been happening at Powerhand over the past few years, so we caught up with Murray Clark, Managing Director, who provided us with an update on the developments they have made as well as discussing new products on the horizon to suit the wider vehicle recycling market.
Recent developments
Over the past three years, one of our big focuses has been the design and build of our new factory facility, and since November 2022, it has been fully operational. The new building is our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, encompassing a machine shop, hydraulic cylinder manufacturing zone, assembly and dispatch area and staff welfare facilities. The new factory will allow us to continue to increase our production capacity and quality and act as a springboard for further investment in the future.
Another key development for us has been our growth into international markets; this has been a key priority for us over recent years, and we are very proud to export our full Powerhand range of products to 25 countries globally (vehicle recycling, forestry and specialist material handling applications). It has been very interesting to build new trading relationships around the world during a period when travel had been difficult, but now that things have opened up, we are very excited to build upon these relationships further.
Grand opening of the new factory facility
VRS ten years on
Our journey with VRS has been incredibly exciting; we have learnt a lot and met some great people. As a business, we love designing and producing products in the UK and then taking them all around the world.
We are incredibly proud that Powerhand is becoming an increasingly strong and sought-after brand in the UK and worldwide.
Ten years and over 100 million views on social media platforms – we’re excited for the next ten years!
Adapting to environmental responsibilities and legislation
The world is certainly changing; we recognise that there is a huge move towards increased recycling rates of all types of materials as well as increased recycling facilities in the country of consumption. Therefore, we are working closely with a range of recyclers in the UK and around the world to maximise recycled content from ELVs as well as developing new products to handle other end-of-life product streams.
Getting maximum value from ELVs
All businesses are certainly facing a squeeze in terms of increased operating costs, and that is why it is more important than ever to have efficient operating processes. We believe that, for car dismantlers, Powerhand VRS systems offer the most profitable and efficient solution to ELV recycling. For example, copper wiring loom is a key material that VRS can extract from ELVs, which in the current market, can generate returns of over £3,000 per tonne. Our customers report that they can extract around 14kg of copper wiring loom per car, meaning that, from the wiring loom along, they can generate an additional £42 profit per car processed.
The value within the manifold CATs is also incredibly important to consider for recyclers, but extracting these from the vehicle without causing damage is a difficult task. However, the plier-like design of the VRS grapple is the ideal tool for extracting the engine without compromising the CAT. A skilled operator can then also use the VRS grapple to remove the CAT from the engine intact. This allows increased profits to be generated for the recycler and also saves the manual labour costs in attempting to remove the CAT from the engine by hand.
What’s next for Powerhand?
There are a number of exciting developments and events for us on the horizon. Notably, we are very excited to be exhibiting at the ISRI convention in Nashville, Tennessee, in April, where VRS will be on the Liebherr stand for thousands of people to see.
We also have some new products in the pipeline for vehicle recyclers and the wider recycling market, including the new VRS140 system. This system has been developed out of a rising demand for VRS from smaller-volume recycling yards looking for an entry-level model. VRS140 can be installed onto excavators in the 14-15tonnes weight class, which will reduce the overall investment required while allowing recyclers to reap the benefits of a VRS system. Keep your eyes peeled for it at the CARS show in May.
To find out more from Powerhand, go to www.powerhand.com
