The family run waste management company opted for the material handler which is connected to the power supply via a permanently installed cable on the ceiling of the hall. Additionally, the diesel generator replaces the rear ballast, with the diesel power pack being able to be removed for maintenance work. 

The Sennebogen 821 E economical electric material handler with 11m sorting equipment has since 2020 been used by Hufnagel Service at its waste sorting facility in Germany, handling around 125,000t of waste per year. “Initially, we had used a Sennebogen with a diesel engine in the 5,000m2 hall in front of the shredder, and noticed that we didn't actually move it from the spot, except for maintenance work. Now we feed the plant with an electric material handler including an additional diesel generator at the rear. This 19kW auxiliary engine allows the machine to remain just as manoeuvrable as the previous model. However, we are now saving on operating costs in a big way by relying on the electric drive,” explains Marc Hufnagel.

According to Marc Hufnagel, many other reasons speak in favour of switching to the environmentally friendly, electrically powered material handling machine. It produces no exhaust fumes, and is therefore a welcome alternative for indoor use, it can call up its full power immediately after the engine is started, and promises a much longer service life. It also requires less frequent maintenance, as oil or fuel filters do not have to be changed. However, the 90kW electric motor, classified according to IP65 enclosure protection, was not installed, as Marc Hufnagel explains: “You can't imagine what a big problem the fire hazard caused by lithium ion batteries has grown into in our industry. 

“Batteries and rechargeable batteries are now installed almost everywhere, from children's toys to electric bicycles and power tools. When these have not been properly removed before disposal and are subsequently damaged in the shredder, the heat generated usually leads immediately to minor or major fires that are difficult to extinguish.” Such a risk also exists at Hufnagel’s facility, although in such an event, an automated fire extinguishing system that monitors the entire facility with thermal imaging cameras initiates firefighting with foam, even if the electric material handler is still in the hall.