Automation of the plant in Middlesbrough means it is now operating with greater efficiency and reduced energy consumption, improving the fuel pellet manufacturing process and reducing the need for manual intervention.
Full plant automation also means WKE can produce an increased volume of its alternative fuel pellets, enabling the manufacturer to meet growing demand from UK and overseas customers across heavy industry.
WKE CEO Ian Jones said: “The operational stabilisation of our plant and running at full automation is a huge milestone for WKE.
“We started commissioning the UK’s largest pelleting plant back in 2022, and this phase is now complete. Commissioning is not just about the processing plant – it also includes staff training and testing business management systems such as safety, compliance, quality and operational procedures.
“We’ve made outstanding progress and we’re so proud of our team, who have performed excellently. The next steps are to focus on improving our throughput efficiency to optimise the plant even further.”
It comes after WKE recently launched its second international shipment, carrying more than 8,000 tonnes of fuel pellets from the manufacturer’s processing facility at the AV Dawson-owned Port of Middlesbrough.
Ian Jones added: “Our aim is to continue to improve the quality and volume of our product in 2024, enabling us to meet demand from our UK and overseas customers, while building new partnerships to support businesses to save money and decarbonise.”
As one of the largest pelleting plants in Europe, WKE produces alternative fuel pellets from commercial and industrial waste which otherwise would be destined for landfill, creating an alternative fuel product which is easy to store and transport and providing a greener, cheaper alternative to coal and natural gas.
The company supplies alternative fuel pellets to large-scale energy users in industries including steel manufacturing, power generation, cement production and more.
For more information, please visit: www.wkeltd.com.