One of the UK's leading recycling and waste management companies is set to save around £220,000 over the next five years after installing Briggs Equipment's state-of-the-art Speedshield system.

Handling up to six tonnes of waste an hour, Skelmersdale-based Viridor wanted to reduce wear and tear to its six diesel-powered forklift trucks that are supplied by Briggs and work under the most demanding conditions.

Ashley Houghton, Head of Procurement at Viridor's Skelmersdale facility, explained: "Prior to Speedshield we were seeing around £15,000 worth of damage to trucks and other property on the site every quarter. This was primarily due to us not being able to accurately monitor the behaviour of our drivers and the efficiency of our trucks. 

"Now that we have Speedshield on all our machines we are able to gain real-time information on individual truck performance and monitor our outgoing costs."  

Three months after installing the system Viridor has seen damage costs reduced by 73 per cent - from around £15,000 every quarter to around £4,000 and over the length of the contract the company could save up to £220,000. 

Briggs' engineer, Steve Culshaw, explained: "Speedshield provides real-time information on individual truck performance as well as a range of safety features including automatic cut-out in an accident or other emergency. This cut out system is also activated if the truck's engine is left idling, helping to reduce fuel costs as well as improve safety."

Before Speedshield was introduced the trucks consumed around 6,000 litres a month. This has now fallen to around 4,000 to 5,000 litres a month. As fuel has risen sharply in price in recent time, this represents a massive saving to Viridor.

Looking to the future, Viridor is now planning to work with Briggs on the installation of Speedshield to trucks operating at the firms other facilities across the UK.