Blue Phoenix is the UK's leading processor of IBA (incinerator bottom ash) from EfW (Energy-from-Waste) plants, with 11 facilities recovering metals for recycling and producing secondary aggregates. IBA is highly abrasive and can also be corrosive, it gets exposed to the weather so it contains moisture, and can even have pockets of retained heat. That makes it stick to conveyor belts, causing carry-back and build-up, and it places extreme wear and tear on conveyor systems including blades corroding to mainframes and tensioners seizing. Worse still, EfW operators need to continually move IBA on to Blue Phoenix who in turn must process it fast. Keeping plants running efficiently is critical and unscheduled downtime has serious consequences.

Each of the facilities is housed inside an industrial shed and a clean operation is paramount. Each plant comprises approx 20x belts (from 600mm to 1600mm wide), mainly fast-running, many with small head drums, some with eddy current separators. Some of the PVC belts are durable but can be difficult to keep clean. So after having problems with competitors' belt cleaners, Blue Phoenix turned to Martin in 2018 which led to the installation of 'Pit Viper' primary polyurethane blades on a few critical belts at five operations. It wasn't long before Blue Phoenix sought a national deal to install and maintain Pit Vipers on all 200 plus belts nationally. In addition, several of Martin's ‘set-and-forget’ SQC2™ Secondary Belt Cleaners were installed following successful trials.

As more belt cleaners were installed, Martin's technicians closely monitored their performance, enabling tailored improvements to ensure optimum performance, including fitting stainless steel parts. By 2021 more than 200 conveyor belts in the Blue Phoenix network were being kept clean by a Martin blade. The properties of IBA mean that any blades wear quickly, so servicing is supported by Martin's nationwide service partner Wright Engineering. Thanks to open dialogue and a partnership approach between Martin Engineering and Blue Phoenix, a bespoke solution and drive for continuous improvement is helping to maintain productivity in a sector delivering circularity.