Wood Mulch Industries (WMI) has built its reputation as one of Queensland’s go-to names in timber and green waste recycling. Based at Swanbank (QLD), they turn waste into valuable mulch products for landscaping, civil construction, and environmental projects. Their work supports the circular economy by giving new life to organic material that might otherwise end up in a landfill.
But WMI was facing growing challenges. Their existing high-speed grinder was working overtime, consuming large amounts of fuel and wearing down quickly. The site was also running out of space as piles of green waste built up faster than they could process them. On top of that, contamination in the feedstock – things like steel, rock, and plastics – made the task even tougher.
It was clear that something needed to change. To keep production on schedule and maintain the level of service their customers expected, WMI needed a more efficient way to handle the incoming waste – one that could manage tough materials, reduce fuel use, and ease the strain on existing equipment.
To help relieve the pressure, they decided to trial the Komptech Crambo 5200D through the Rent–Try–Buy program. The goal was to use the Crambo as a pre-shredder to break down green waste before it hit the grinder, cutting strain on the existing equipment and speeding up throughput.
Over a month-long trial, the Crambo quickly showed its strengths:
- 200 m³ per hour throughput with 320mm baskets
- Fuel efficiency of 35–38 L/hr, far below the grinder’s burn rate
- No tool or tooth replacements needed across 147 hours of work
- Contamination under control, with steel and rock removed, while plastics stayed intact
- Big timber and palm stumps shredded with ease
With the Crambo doing the heavy lifting, the grinder ran more smoothly, site efficiency improved, and the green waste backlog started to shrink.
By the end of the trial, the results made it clear that investing in a unit, or securing one on hire long-term, would be the best path forward for WMI. The lower operating costs and consistent output showed the machine’s real value.
The story of WMI is one we see often across Australia: businesses working hard to process more with less. The Komptech Crambo 5200D gave them a way to turn that challenge into an opportunity, and that’s exactly what we’re here for.