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| Specialised units to retrieve and empty containers stored in underground silos |
WMW's plant and vehicles specialist Malcolm Bates reviews NTM's Quatro System units at work in the November/December issue.
To most people, Finland is best known as being the land of a thousand lakes - or if you prefer something a bit more 'solid', as a country where there are considerably more trees than people. As a result, it's no wonder that 'wood' features as a major part of the local economy.
So what then do you suppose a company with a name like Narpes Tra & Metal is involved with? 'Tra' does indeed mean wood, but although transport trailers are a major product line - and they do involve wood, or composite materials in their construction - the word Waste Management World is interested in is 'metal'. Why? Because although based in rural Finland, Narpes Tra & Metal - or 'NTM' as we know it - has recently announced both some new product lines for 2011 - and at the same time signalled an intention to expand into new global markets.
The significance of this? Several compaction body manufacturers offer single, or twin/split compartment compaction bodies (in a number of capacities) as standard, while a third side loading 'pod' for recyclables or food waste is increasingly popular. Other manufacturers offer side loaders, front end loaders and specialised units to retrieve and empty containers stored in underground silos.
As Malcolm Bates reports in the next issue of Waste Management World magazine, NTM produces all these options as standard - and can produce standard compaction body lengths to customer order. But the big news is that the company has now put the highly innovative 'four waste streams in one lift' Quatro System into production, after a five-year long development programme.
Bates has recently been to Sweden - where NTM is now a market leader - to see the latest Quatro System units at work. He then flew to Finland to take a closer look at the NTM plant in the town of Narpes, where he got an update on the expansion programme from CEO, Kurt-Eric Nordin.
NTM celebrated its 60th anniversary last month, so 'the future' is in sharp focus following a celebration of the past. Kurt-Eric Nordin says he is convinced there is a sufficient number of public sector and commercial contractor operators looking for innovative high quality products, tailored to meet specific waste collection requirements - not only in 'mature' European markets, but in the newer developing markets as well.
NTM is about to launch into several new European markets in the next twelve months and is looking for selected local partners and agents on a wider global basis. The family-owned company has enjoyed steady year-on-year growth since it was founded in 1950.
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