AORA December 2023 Newsletter

From the National Executive Officer

I seem to recall, perhaps too may years ago now, that the run into Christmas was a time to wind down with the daily pressures of work easing and deadlines being extended into the New Year.

That is certainly not the case anymore and it also seems universal, regardless of the industry you may be working in, noting that retail has always been the exception to this. The end of year has loomed quickly and busily for AORA too.

With our AGM and Annual Members Meeting over in mid-November, we turned our attention and efforts to a couple of final events in VIC and NSW which have also been wrapped up.

Our consultation and advocacy work continues regardless of the time of year including my recent attendance at the Soil Science Australia: Parliamentary Friends of Soil Breakfast in Canberra, virtual meetings with the National Waste Policy Action Plan Program Office and our monthly Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) catch-up – a first for our new Chairman, Charlie Emery.

High on the work program priority list in early 2024 will be the implementation of our new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. This new system will provide greater integration to a new AORA website as well as improved integration to our finance and communications system and much improved productivity. We have selected the new system and we have had an initial implementation planning meeting in Adelaide in early December.

On behalf of the AORA Board and team, we wish you a very happy, relaxing and safe Christmas and our very best wishes for a successful 2024.

John McKew

National Executive Officer

Australian Organics Recycling Association

Komptech's Crambo: Redefining Waste Shredding Excellence

AORA Partner News

In the evolving landscape of waste management, Komptech's Shredder - Crambo stands tall as a testament to innovation, efficiency, and reliability. With a tested and proven design in the demanding Australian organics industry, the Crambo is redefining the standards of wood and green waste shredding. This machine has become a trusted solution for waste management professionals, demonstrating its ability to handle diverse waste materials with ease.

The Crambo excels in achieving maximum throughput while minimising fuel usage, thanks to its highly efficient mechanical direct drum drive. This innovation sets it apart from hydraulic-driven drums, ensuring top-tier economy without compromising on essential product benefits such as overloading protection, reversibility, and material adaptation.

A standout feature of the Crambo is its large shredding Chamber twin aggressive feed drums. This design not only offers market-leading throughput but also showcases the machine's versatility in handling various feedstocks.

The Crambo's twin slow-speed drums play a pivotal role in delivering unmatched performance. By minimising the generation of fine particles and dust, these drums not only contribute to improved throughput rates but also set the standard for twin-shaft performance, outclassing competitors in the market.

Announcing new AORA Committees for

NSW and VIC

Nominations recently concluded for our NSW and VIC State Committee and we now have new Committee members in both states.

New South Wales

• Angus Johnson, New Resource Solutions Pty Ltd
• Virginia Brunton, MRA Consulting Group
• Michael Bonanno, Cleanaway
• Shaun Rainford, ARUP 
• Hugh Perrottet, COPAR
• Karen Muir, Veolia

Victoria

• Sage Hahn, Bio Gro
• Simon Humphris, Environmental Resource Solutions
• Michael Wood, Oakwood Consultants Pty Ltd
• Kurt Palmer, Cemac Technologies
• Ashley Johnston, Repurpose It
• Fergal Rabette, Gippsland Water.

We welcome our new committee members and look forward to your input.

AORA Partner News

The new Hitachi ZW-7 wheel loader range takes the combination of comfort and reliability to a new level. With the machines now starting to arrive in the country, Product Manager David Gallina reveals what the Australian market has to look forward to.

With reliable, skilled labourers as hard to find as ever, Australian operators can afford to be increasingly discerning about the tools of their trade. According to David Gallina, Hitachi Construction Machinery Australia Pty Ltd (HCA) Product Manager for Hitachi Wheel Loaders and Bell Equipment, this fact is not lost on the team at Hitachi. He says the new ZW-7 wheel loader range, which has recently started to arrive in Australia, is the perfect example of the company’s dedication to operators.

“A key focus for Hitachi in the development of the ZW-7 series has been operator comfort,” he says. “It’s so important these days to maintain your staff. So, if you provide your operators with a comfortable working environment, they’ll still feel fresh at the end of the day, and they’ll be happy to return the next day.”

HCA recently introduced the country’s first ZW220-7 wheel loader at the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA) Annual Conference in Melbourne, in June 2023. David says the AORA Conference is a regular part of the events circuit for HCA, and with the pace at which the organics industry is growing, it was just the right place to introduce the new machine.

“It was quite successful, and we’ve received fantastic feedback,” he says. “The rest of the ZW-7 range is now starting to filter through into the country. We’ve started off with the ZW220-7, but we’ll be expanding the range from our smallest ZW140-7 through to our larger production loaders over the next eight months or so.”

David says the aim is for the existing Hitachi ZW-5 range to gradually be phased out in favour of the new ZW-7 machines, introducing a slew of refinements and upgrades in the process.

“The ZW-7 range offers improved environmental performance, improved operability, operator comfort, and enhanced safety,” he says. “As well as comfort, safety is a particular focus for this range. We think it will be one of the safest loaders on the market. It features the Aerial Angle 270-degree bird’s-eye camera, rear detection system with assist braking on some models. It also introduces a new pressurized cabin to keep the dust out. The cabin also has roof handrails and steps to help clean the windows.”

David also highlights a handful of as-standard quality-of-life features to help operators of any experience level maximise their productivity.

Be a Speaker at the AORA Conference

The AORA Annual Conference is the principal conference in Australia for the recycled organics industry and we are looking for experts in the recycled organics sector to join the 2024 program by delivering platform presentations and participating in panels and discussions.

Speaking at AORA 2024 is a great opportunity for you to share your ideas and expertise and be part of the major discussions surrounding Australia's recycled organics sector.

The program committee is now inviting submissions addressing the following themes:

• Government collaborations
• Update on the future
• Organics actions across Australia and the world
• Researching for success
• New research outcomes
• What don’t we know but need to?
• Securing the industry
• Regulatory challenges and opportunities (including contamination)
• Investment opportunities
• Market development
• Our future
• Industry update – how is the industry tracking against its Strategic Plan / Vision to 2030
• What should the industry focus on in the next 12 months to 2 years?
• Collaborations
• Where does the industry need to focus collaborations to achieve success?

Other topics may be considered at the committee’s discretion.

If you are interested in presenting click the button below for more information and the proposal form.

Submissions close on Wednesday 31 January 2024.

AORA MEDIA PARTNERS

AORA FOUNDING MEMBERS