Geesink Norba wins National Recycling Award
By Simon Newsam
Geesink Norba’s Plug-in Electric vehicle has landed a top green accolade in the UK by winning the prestigious Best New Technology title at the National Recycling Awards.
The innovative battery-powered vehicle, which was launched in the UK in 2009, beat off stiff opposition to win the award because of its ability to reduce environmental impact through more sustainable management of wastes and resources.
Geesink Norba UK Business Director, Geoff Rigg, said: “It’s very encouraging to see our efforts in developing green technology being recognised well beyond our industry on such a prestigious platform as the National Recycling Awards.
“I feel very proud at what Geesink Norba has achieved with our innovative Plug-in Electric vehicles but it should also bring home to all of us in our particular industry just how important our role is and what an important contribution we have to make to the future.
“The Plug-in Electric vehicles have already proven themselves by producing outstanding fuel and cost savings but we’re still finding new ways to improve their performance. It’s a great use of technology which is leading to a major reduction in carbon emissions and fuel costs for operators across Britain.
The Plug-in Electric vehicles were launched in the UK in May, following six years of testing and development in Sweden. They use electric power to operate the lifting, crushing and compacting systems and were designed to reduce diesel consumption and carbon emissions and cut energy costs for operators.
Geesink Norba Chief Executive Officer, Theo Lemmen, said: “We’ve already won awards and recognition from within our industry for these outstanding refuse collection vehicles but this award took a much broader perspective and considered innovation from all walks of life, so it can leave nobody in any doubt that Geesink Norba is leading the way forward in green and cost-efficient technology. The rest of the world is watching us and asking us to find solutions and that’s what we’re doing at Geesink Norba.”
Since their UK launch, Plug-in Electric vehicles have gone into service with local authorities and private contractors across Europe and produced a range of outstanding fuel savings in different operating conditions. Typically customers can expect fuel savings in excess of 20% and often considerably more depending on the type of rounds in which they operate and the way operators use the vehicle.
The Best New Technology category in the National Recycling Awards was presented by Martin Davies of the sponsors MACH-TECH, and comedian Hugh Dennis who was compère for the evening at the Hilton Hotel in London’s Park Lane on Thursday July 15th.
The judges were Dr Adam Read, the Practice Lead for Waste Management & Resource Efficiency at AEA; Bob Gordon, Head of Environment at the British Retail Consortium (BRC); Dee Maloney, Managing Director of LRS; Duncan Simpson, Director of Sales and Marketing at Valpak Limited; Emma Maier, editor of LGC; Mike Webster of Waste Watch; Kensington & Chelsea Councillor Nick Paget-Brown with responsibility for environmental issues; Paul Sanderson, editor of MRW and Phillip Ward, Director for Local Government Services and Wales with WRAP.
Tags: Best New Technology, Environmentally friendly, Geesink Norba, Geoff Rigg, Green, low carbon emissions, National Recycling Awards, Plug-in Electric Vehicle, RCV, recycling, refuse collection vehicle
