In Coventry, where the daily hum of industrial recycling never really stops, Tom White is making a practical shift in how residual waste gets turned into something usable. The company has partnered with UNTHA UK, investing in the XR3000C shredder to expand what it can do on-site.
Under the current workflow, about 180 tonnes of commercial, industrial, and demolition waste (C&I and C&D) sourced from the local area move through Tom White’s facility each day. First, the material is shredded down to a 300mm particle size. Then it’s sorted by size and density—heavy fractions and valuable commodities are extracted and redistributed into the wider supply chain. It’s the “what’s left” step that matters most for the new capability.
Previously, the residual fractions that remained after sorting were transported to another waste management company. Now, with the UNTHA XR3000C, Tom White can refine that material further on-site. The goal is to transform it into a homogeneous feedstock for solid recovered fuel (SRF), with a particle size of less than 50 mm. It’s a small change in how finely the material is prepared, but in waste processing, those details are often the whole point.
The XR3000C isn’t just about size reduction, though. The shredder is described as achieving throughputs of 60 tonnes per day, with capabilities of up to 80 tonnes on a single shift. That extra breathing room matters because it lets Tom White target processed material from other waste management specialists too. There’s also a workflow tweak: by bypassing the materials recovery facility (MRF), the material can be mixed with light residual fractions generated by the plant itself—helping the company produce a greater volume of fossil fuel substitutes.
The wider message is about circularity and, frankly, control. With the electric-drive XR3000C, Tom White says the process is up to 75% more energy efficient than diesel-hydraulic shredders. That’s tied to an improved carbon footprint for the facility, while also laying groundwork for future-proofed on-site SRF production.
Michael Trueman, head of production at Tom White Waste, frames the decision as both technical and financial. “As well as something mobile, we wanted a tried-and-tested shredder that could withstand the high volumes of waste passing through our facility,” he said. “Having seen the UNTHA XR in action on other sites, we knew it promised the resilience for tough operating conditions and a consistent SRF output. The question was whether it could keep pace with the tonnage we wanted to put through it — a challenge that, so far, it is living up to.”
He adds that the company found the UNTHA Finance package attractive, especially because it allows more accurate budgeting—not just on purchase costs but through a bundled five-year service plan. That includes three site visits per annum, with full machine inspection and service, plus oil and filter change. It’s the kind of detail you only notice when you’ve dealt with downtime, and you can almost hear it in how he talks about “peace of mind.” For further information visit www.untha.co.uk
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