Grassroots Recycling, a pioneer in plastic waste management, has taken a significant leap forward in its commitment to sustainable practices, with the investment into an LRK 1400 shredder from industry specialist UNTHA UK. This strategic step underscores Grassroots Recycling's dedication to enhancing operations and furthering its mission to assist Britain's farmers and growers in responsibly recycling plastic waste.
Established in 2006, Grassroots Recycling has been a driving force in the agricultural and horticultural industries, providing flexible solutions — including local collections and delivery services from its recycling centre in Wiltshire and its nationwide FarmXS drop-in centres which specialise in farm plastics. As a founding member of The Green Tractor Scheme, the firm is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring that all farm plastics are collected and recycled in accordance with the highest environmental standards.
To meet the growing demands of its operations, Grassroots Recycling sought a solution that could handle higher throughput while maintaining reliability and compatibility with existing infrastructure. The LRK1400 shredder from UNTHA UK perfectly addressed these needs, offering a larger machine with increased input capacity, as well as UK-based service and backup capabilities.
This new shredder allows Grassroots Recycling to process an average of 375 kg per hour — a significant enhancement from the company’s previous equipment. An anticipated 4:1 size reduction of its hard plastics will see the firm free up considerable space within its premises, enabling a greater volume of material to be brought to site and therefore increasing productivity, pace, and profitability long-term.
Commenting on the project, Grassroots Recycling’s general manager Jason Goddard said: "We previously had a small four-shaft shredder from another manufacturer, which served us well, but our growth required a solution with higher throughput. Saving over 3,000 tonnes of plastic waste from landfill each year is no small feat. And as this figure grows, so too does our reliance on technology that can process these streams with ease and pace.
“This investment in the LRK 1400 shredder, along with our broader equipment and employee training initiatives, not only meets our capacity needs but also integrates seamlessly with our conveyors, ensuring a truly streamlined workflow. The ability to now scale our shredding and granulation processes is a significant step change, which we expect to propel Grassroots’ continued recycling growth, especially as we further vertically integrate our operations.”
Talking on the machine’s output, Lewis Horne, sales consultant at UNTHA UK, added: “The LRK is forged with ultimate versatility, adapting to various shredding needs with bespoke drive capacities, rotor shapes, an effective cutting system, and low-wear swing pusher all ensuring perfect processing and economic shredding. The profiled rotor of Grassroots Recycling’s machine specifically allows for a robust throughput and high specification 60mm output fraction - the perfect feedstock for plastic reproduction which helps to close the loop towards a more circular economy.”
In addition to the machine purchase, Grassroots Recycling has secured a three-year service plan from UNTHA UK. This package provides direct access to UNTHA's technical after sales expertise, ensuring on-demand engineering support, preventative maintenance and machine optimisation expertise - extending the shredder’s lifespan, reducing the risk of unplanned downtime and boosting overall ROI.
Offering a concluding thought about the collaboration, Jason summarised: “The team at UNTHA UK has done exactly as they have said, and it’s been a seamless process from the first point of contact through to installation and commissioning."