Background
Founded in North Carolina by Brad Bennett, Novem Industries started in 2008 as a small one-person dumpster roll-off company. Thirteen years later, Novem has grown to 12 employees. Not only are they the only wood recycling operation in the Charlotte metro area, but they are also the single largest provider of wood fuel in the Southeast, processing and delivering over 18,000 tons per year.
In 2013, Bennett purchased his first Rotochopper, a tracked MC-266 Horizontal Grinder. As the business flourished, he quickly found Novem needed an upgrade to accommodate the capacity needs for the increased materials they were receiving. He purchased a Rotochopper FP-66 in 2017, but the company still faced the unique challenge of processing contaminated wood waste without damaging the grinders.
Challenge
Novem’s wood waste comes from a few different sources, including their roll-off business and drop offs at their recycling site. As a company that takes in construction and demolition (C&D) waste, mitigating contaminants is an important part of the process. When metal materials, like tramp steel, reach the grinder, damage can be extensive and expensive to repair, costing the company valuable uptime and decreasing profits.
Solution
Bennett sought out Rotochopper’s 75DK Shredder, which he purchased in 2019 and added to Novem’s equipment lineup, along with the FP-66 grinder already in place. The 75DK Shredder, which is equipped with a cross-belt magnet, easily removes damaging metal from the material as it processes through the shredder, creating an end-to-end solution of sorting, pre-shredding, and grinding to create a premium end product.
“The 75DK Shredder is a total game changer,” Bennett says. “It makes the perfect chip for regrinding with our FP-66 and allows me to fill a 130-yard trailer in less than 20 minutes. I’m ecstatic!”
Results
Bennett is now able to pre-process Novem’s feedstock using his Rotochopper shredder, minimizing the risk of damage from metal and other ungrindable objects. In addition, Novem is now able to take in larger or oddly shaped material that would have previously needed to be broken down before going through the grinder. The initial size reduction from the pre-shredding process also makes grinding wood waste more effective and efficient and helps Novem maintain consistent end product size for their customers.
It’s safe to say Bennett is happy with his purchase, and he’s especially thankful he chose to partner with Rotochopper. “…It gives me the security of knowing that Rotochopper is going to be there when I need them to be there,” he says. “I would not own another grinder or shredder with another company.”