BioRich in New Zealand was established in 2004 to provide compost for organic crop production. The company employs nine people at two sites, and also operates a farm business at one of the sites. BioRich currently produces 40,000 cubic meters of compost, and has enjoyed success in the region by providing a waste solution to area slaughterhouses, pack houses, wineries, food companies and wool scours. An important part of the operation is the sourcing of carbon feedstock material such as bark, which comes from up to 250 km away. This impacts pricing and availability, and adds some uncertainty. The supply of carbon feedstock must also be matched to the company’s overall capacity and commitments, and to ensure this, screening needs to be efficient.

Right machine at the right time

BioRich Operations Manager Nigel Halpin saw his first Komptech screen, a Mustang, on a visit to another company. When the time came to purchase their own screen, BioRich looked at all the options and did their homework, viewing machines in operation with similar feedstock in New Zealand and abroad. Nigel spoke to operators and was eventually convinced that the Komptech Nemus was what he needed, and that Komptech’s local service fit the bill – despite the fact that Komptech and BioRich are almost exactly at opposite sides of the world from each other. The Nemus has now been in use for four months and recently had its 500 hours servicing. BioRich has been impressed with the local support and backup. As Nigel put it, “Delivery came just at the right time to meet our winter screening obligations, and we couldn’t afford any downtime. Komptech NZ did a complete commissioning program for us and have since been available whenever needed. The Nemus’ ease of use, output and reliability allowed us to meet our demanding winter screening requirements and really paved the way for future opportunities. To date we’ve processed 40,000 cubic meters of top quality product, more than double our previous abilities. It eliminated the need to hire contractors.”

Pleasantly surprised

According to Nigel, one thing that really surprised BioRich was the quality of the product from the Nemus, which is much more consistent than with other screens. They are also impressed by the ease of switching between the 15 mm and 20 mm drums they use. As Nigel puts it, “The ease with which we can service the machine and open it up to clean and change drums has really been a game changer — this translates to more time screening, which allows us to sell more product!” Another very welcome surprise was the Nemus’ ability to screen wet material and in all weather, likewise a major production-boosting factor.

Easy to work with

Ease of servicing and daily maintenance is a further benefit, according to Nigel: “The ability to lower the side wall and extend the drum really impressed the operator. The ease and speed means we can keep on top of daily maintenance and cleaning, which translates to a better, more consistent end product. The resulting increase in production, from both ease of use and less downtime, has allowed us to expand our screening options and explore new products and mixes.”