On the edge of Royal Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire, a family-run business is proving that sustainability and innovation can go hand-in-hand. Crapper & Sons Landfill Ltd runs a 180-acre recycling operation diverting 85% of its 120,000 tonnes of annual waste away from landfill - and that’s just the beginning.
Alongside the recycling site, the company runs a 150-acre beef farm and a thriving farm shop. Now, they’re going a step further by planning to install greenhouses directly on top of their landfill site to grow produce for the shop – a bold move towards full-circle sustainability. With a methane-powered engine already generating electricity for their recycling equipment, Crapper & Sons is well on its way to becoming self-sufficient.
An impressive line-up
Diversification has been key to the success of Crapper & Sons’ business over the years – as it has transformed from hairdressers in the 1960s, to civils and groundworks contractors, to running one of the largest skip hire fleets in Wiltshire – but since 2001 the company has been committed to its landfill and waste recycling operations.
In order for Crapper & Sons to manage the vast array of daily tasks required across both its landfill and waste recycling site and adjoining farm, they have invested in a varied JCB fleet comprising a TM320S telescopic loader and a Fastrac 4220 iCON on the farming side and four 437 wheeled loading shovels, a JCB 220X and the new JCB 370X to drive the waste operations.
This means the company has built relationships with both agriculture dealer RECO JCB, and its local construction dealer Holt JCB - which has helped Crapper & Sons Landfill Ltd maximise the sheer range of JCB machinery on offer to best service its diverse operations.
It's got the power
The diverse nature of Crapper & Sons Landfill Ltd’s recycling and farming work dictates a diverse machine fleet. For its landfill operations it requires a powerful and productive workhorse. A JCB 220X has been performing admirably and now the company has chosen to add a larger stablemate to handle the sheer volume and weight of waste materials in its landfill site.
The JCB 370X is the biggest and most powerful model in the JCB X Series range with the ability to move 4.5 tonnes more material per litre of fuel than competitive models and boasts a Stage V 240kW (322hp) diesel engine delivering 14% more power.
The 370X has been busy loading heavy clay from a waste cell into an articulated dump truck and is proving to be worth every penny of the company’s investment.