Roma Grus Invests in CDE Plant to Improve Self-Sufficiency on Gotland Island

Wash plant technology to enable sustainable resource management for island community

Building materials supplier Roma Grus, a family-owned business on the Swedish island of Gotland, has announced a significant investment a new 140tph wash plant from industry experts CDE that will transform the business, enhancing self-sufficiency and opening new revenue streams.

At present, the company is involved in materials supply to the local construction industry as well as concrete supply, being one of Europe's most modern concrete stations. However, a strong commitment to reducing their impact on the environment, expressed in discussions with CDE at bauma in 2019, led the team at Roma Grus to explore recycling activities. The partnership recently come full circle when Roma Grus joined CDE at bauma 2022 to showcase the project and celebrate the success of the relationship that evolved from those early conversations.

Stefan Lindby, brother to the owner of Roma Grus, Magnus Lindby, first encountered CDE at the trade show three years ago and quickly identified the similarities in values between the two companies, as well as the opportunities offered by C&D recycling for the business and the construction industry.

When commissioned, the wash plant will equip the business with the technology to advance the circular economy in Gotland.

Self-sufficiency and conservation in an island environment

The ability to recycle is particularly important for an island-based company like Roma Grus. Currently, sand is shipped from mainland Sweden which is unsustainable and expensive. On the island, they will be among the first to offer washed sand & aggregates suitable for concrete production as an alternative to raw material. This is in stark contrast to mining operations that have a serious impact on the island’s preservation, and highlight’s the company’s commitment to protection of the land.

The new investment therefore contributes to both their environmental and self-reliance goals.

The wash plant will comprise of CDE’s patented R4500 primary scalping screen with integrated Infinity™ P2-75R ProGrade screen, pioneering AggMax scrubbing and classification system with integrated Infinity™ H2-60 screen and RotoMax logwasher, the Evowash sand wash plant with Counter Flow Classification Unit (CFCU™ 200), as well as transfer and stockpile conveyors.

It will also include the AquaCycle™ high-rate thickener, which recycles up to 90% of the process water for immediate re-use in the system. The AquaStore complete water storage and pumping system recycles the recovered water around the washing plant, while the accompanying Flocstation is the delivery system for polyelectrolyte to the AquaCycle to facilitate settlement of sludge and recycling of water.

The Gotland site where the plant will be located has been vacated for the past 25 years. It was previously home to a sugar mill.

Upon commissioning, the company’s outputs will be transformed, as new revenue streams are opened with new products available and a higher quality of the existing line in production. 

CDE’s CFCU™ technology will have a significant impact on the customer’s operation, by creating a higher quality concrete sand output, and the AggMax that scrubs & cleans up the stone fraction, will result in high-quality in-spec aggregates.

Turning waste into resource

Site Manager Emil Höglund is confident of the significant impact the new wash plant will have on the company’s method of operations, saying: “Roma Grus has invested heavily in developing sustainable ways of operating in recent years, and this project is an important phase in helping us to achieve our ambitious sustainability objectives.

“In the second half of 2021, our company was running entirely fossil-free, however current circumstances including the ongoing war in Ukraine and Swedish tax policies made it fiscally impossible to continue with this strategy.

“We are however committed to returning to fossil-free operations and view our partnership with CDE as a huge step in that journey.”

Magnus Lindby explains that the technology will ensure they are achieving not just their own goals but are also adhering to incoming directives.

“The CDE solution will help Roma Grus implement the circular model we are striving for, as well as comply with the regulation which prevents raw material extraction and supply to the market after 2025. Aggregates extraction is particularly damaging for Gotland’s groundwater supply, and we are committed to ensuring the protection of the island on which we live.

Lindby adds: “We view the installation of this CDE wash plant as the next natural step in our business offering to the local construction industry. We will be offering sustainably sourced concrete, ready-mixed concrete gravel and various other construction materials.

“We feel this is a new phase for Roma Grus, and in CDE we have found a stable partner on our journey toward our goals.”

Eunan Kelly, Head of Business Development for Northern & Western Europe, said: “When we entered discussions with Roma Grus for this project, they were impressed with our experience and success in similar environments such as the Isle of Man, Long Island and Isle of Wight. We look forward to seeing them achieve self-sufficiency as our clients in these areas have done.

“It has been a pleasure to work with a forward-thinking company and team that shares our goals regarding a circular economy and the protection of natural resources.”

To learn more about Roma Grus and its services, visit romagrus.se.