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DI Dorian Wessely, head of the Cleantech Cluster (CTC) at Upper Austria’s Business Location Agency, RM CEO Gerald Hanisch and RM CFO Günther Weissenberger met for an expert talk to discuss the most pressing issues of the recycling industry. With a recycling rate of 88%, Austria ranks among the top performers in Europe. The growing awareness of sustainability, circular economy, and building material recycling is driving growth for RUBBLE MASTER. In 2022, the RM Group recorded a total revenue of around 232 million euros, an increase of 20% compared to the previous year.

“The revenue growth is due to both increasing demand and price increases. We are delighted with the very positive results, which we clearly attribute to our technological lead in electrification. The topic of fuel savings through electrification strikes a chord with the times,” explains Gerald Hanisch, founder and CEO of the RM Group. The current fiscal year is also developing very satisfactorily for RUBBLE MASTER, with orders booked until the end of the year, reinforcing the company’s growth strategy. “We expect further revenue growth to around 270 million euros in 2023, driven by the worldwide strong demand for energy-efficient solutions and circular economy,” adds Günther Weissenberger, Managing Director and CFO of the RM Group.

Expertise from Austria in global demand

RUBBLE MASTER exports its products to 110 countries worldwide, with around 65% of revenue generated in the European market. The RM Group’s technological advantage is a key factor in this market. North America and the Middle East are also important markets. RUBBLE MASTER’s mobile crushers and screens are used in mega-construction projects such as the Maya Train infrastructure project in Mexico, the sustainable urban development project Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, and “The Line” in Saudi Arabia. Southeast Asia is also a growing market for RUBBLE MASTER. In May, the Linz-based company opened a new branch in Singapore to serve growth markets such as India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea and to establish the RM brand and mobile crushing and screening business model even better locally.

In these markets, knowledge transfer and years of experience in the recycling sector play an essential role. Along with their machines, RUBBLE MASTER’s technical expertise is increasingly in demand. The RM Group has already held workshops with the Indian government and a technical university to gather ideas on how to establish construction waste recycling in India and what requirements recycled material must meet for reuse, such as for road sub-surfaces. “Many countries simply lack clear regulations on how recycled material should be handled and what requirements it must meet for reuse, such as for road sub-surfaces,” says Hanisch, adding, “The Southeast Asian market is experiencing an extraordinary upswing. Construction sites and projects are being launched, and there is a high demand for processed material, which is used, for example, in cement production.”

Expanding locations: GreenTech creates more jobs in Upper Austria

Despite a high export rate, the RM Group remains loyal to its production sites in Linz and Dungannon/Northern Ireland and is even expanding its capacities in the Südpark Linz-Pichling. Around 450 crushers and screens left the factories in 2022, and the company plans to increase this number gradually. This year, there should be 550 machines, and the specialist in mobile crushing and screening aims to adjust production to the order situation by 2027.

In terms of sustainability, RUBBLE MASTER also aims to be a role model: “In the coming years, we want to be energy-neutral at our Linz site,” Hanisch confirms. Existing concepts such as thermal-active building elements, which are used as heating, and low-energy and passive construction methods are being expanded. In addition, RM will produce electricity in Linz through a photovoltaic system, which will be installed and put into operation shortly. Through additional energy buffers, the energy released during the startup of plants is fed back and reused at the site.

Digitalization and electrification: Innovation through cooperation

RM hybrid machines or the hybrid crusher’s electric drive can save customers up to 30% on diesel costs. This was already a significant economic and ecological argument for electrifying RM systems even before steadily rising fuel prices. If the crusher drives the screen, the customer also saves time and money, as they only have to refuel one machine or service the motor of one system. In addition to electrification, RM crushers and screens are also becoming increasingly intelligent and can be networked with each other in the future. In such a machine train, each individual machine adjusts to the utilization of the other connected machines. Idle times or overload can be avoided in this way.

“We are actively driving innovations in the electrification and digitization of our machines to solve the pressing everyday problems of our customers, such as rising operating costs. Remote data access, remote service support, and intelligent networking of our machines accelerate service processes, save the operator time and thus facilitate everyday life on the construction site,” explains CEO Gerald Hanisch. A key success factor for innovation is cooperation with universities, start-ups, and the Cleantech Cluster. “Network exchange is a key feature of the CTC. We offer the opportunity to proactively exchange ideas with other companies, address challenges, and learn from the experiences of others in order to make the right decisions early on,” emphasizes Wessely on the benefits of the CTC for entrepreneurs.

New requirements for future skilled workers

RM is consistently driving the topics of digitization and electrification within the company. This means that the requirements for future skilled workers are also changing. In order to train and retain employees, RUBBLE MASTER pays attention to a good mix of experienced workers and young potentials. “Especially with regard to the shortage of skilled workers, we have been training apprentices ourselves for decades. Our strategic goal is to have 10% of our employees as apprentices. Recently, some have completed their training, so we currently have 12 trainees. By August, we want to increase the number of apprentices to about 20,” says Günther Weissenberger and adds, “Another important point is the constant further training of employees, for example through our RM Academy. This is how we ensure our innovative power and ensure that our customers have machines that meet the requirements of the digitized construction site,” said Günther Weissenberger.

 

At the beginning of May, RUBBLE MASTER founded a new subsidiary RUBBLE MASTER SEA Pte. Ltd. in Singapore, expanding the company’s worldwide coverage and the RM Family with a new presence in Asia. The focus is clearly on driving the ever-growing business by supporting local dealers as well as customers and making them a part of the RM Family.

The new subsidiary will further strengthen the network in Asia and Southeast Asia fostering a close relationship with dealers and customers. The RM Family with its open communication and partnership-based approach are key factors for RUBBLE MASTER’s success. Having a solid dealer network and over 30 years of experience in the recycling as well as natural rock crushing business makes RUBBLE MASTER the perfect partner for their customers.

The dynamic dealer network supported by the new subsidiary in Singapore sees the RM Group take another step in strengthening its global presence and being as close to the markets as possible. “The ambitious dealer network and our existing customers in Southeast Asia form the foundation for RUBBLE MASTER’s future development together with our sales partners. Sharing continuous growth and development with our dealers and customers leads us to a very positive outlook and we are looking forward to interesting projects and successful cooperations in the Southeast Asia,” says Gerald Hanisch, CEO and founder of the RM Group.

“The growing urbanization and new infrastructure projects in Asia result in an increased demand for high quality aggregates from recycling and natural rock applications. The new expansion in Asia is, therefore, a logical step we have made to be even closer to our dealers and customers. We provide customer-focused solutions, from small applications to entire machine trains,” adds Günther Weissenberger, Managing Director and CFO.

 

 

Strong start for the new RM dealer in the Philippines

Apart from establishing the new subsidiary in Singapore, RUBBLE MASTER recently appointed a new dealer in the Philippines, resulting in the initial sale of five RM machines.

“RUBBLE MASTER is delighted to appoint a new dealer in the Philippines, whose strategy goes hand-in-hand with RM values and the future outlook in the market. We are looking forward to a successful and prosperous partnership, as well as the great opportunities ahead of us,” says Gerald Badegruber, the Area Sales Manager for Southeast Asia.

The new dealer just ordered five RM machines, which include RM 100GO! and RM 120X crushers, as well as RM MSC8500M-3D and RM MSC10500M-3DR screens and has high expectations for the future growth of the market: “The RUBBLE MASTER range of crushing and screening equipment is exactly what our customers in the Philippines are looking for, so we are excited to represent this innovative brand and its extensive range of solutions in the Philippines. Our sales, service and parts teams are already fully up to speed with the product range, so we are ready to hit the ground running. We are looking forward to supporting our customers and showing them what a difference RUBBLE MASTER can make to their operations.”

 

 

Each quarter, RM Dungannon donates £1000 worth of funds to a charitable cause, to, employee nominated, organizations or clubs.

For April, RM employee Paul Hetherington’s nominated charity, Team Aspie, was chosen.

Team Aspie, based in Cookstown, is a nonprofit organization that supports children and young adults with Asperger Syndrome and their families. With over 50 participants already, Team Aspie fosters friendships and a sense of community through monthly trips with the children and young adults and their families. RM Dungannon’s donation will go directly toward a series of activities and excursions in May and June.

The RM Community Fund was launched in February 2022 in conjunction with staff. This program has already supported a school for children with learning difficulties, a charity for adults in crisis and an organization dedicated to tackling food poverty in Coalisland and the surrounding area.

 

 

 

In 2018, Marklund & Son, located in Sweden, already invested in a RUBBLE MASTER impact crusher, the RM 80GO! (now called RM 90GO!). Due to the high level of satisfaction with the crusher and the excellent service provided by their RM dealer OP Systems, the machine park operator made the decision to make another investment in a RUBBLE MASTER machine for the purchase of a much needed scalper plant. With over 30 employees, Marklund & Son in the north-east of Sweden is one of the largest machinery park operators in Skellefteå.

Due to constantly increasing demand, the need to invest in a scalper arose in 2021. Because of the strict environmental regulations of the Swedish government, a screen was needed that is equipped with Ad Blue and has as little impact on nature as possible. An additional, decisive factor was also the excellent relationship with the RM dealer, OP Systems. “Besides the RM 80GO!, which does its job perfectly, the customer service is impressive. We really appreciate the friendly and forthcoming communication,” says Emil Marklund, son of the owner and responsible for concrete crushing and sorting at Marklund & Son.

While the RM crusher mainly crushes concrete, the new RM scalper is now used to recycle valuable materials, such as gravel. From May to November last year, the RM HS5000M was already able to recycle about 200 tonnes of gravel per hour.

The RM Family continues to grow: since 2018, the RM Group has added several production locations in Austria and Northern Ireland. This growth makes processes more complex and encourages teams to work together more closely. The RM Group answer to this is the RM Family Spirit, which embodies openness and reaching out to each other. One way this works is by using and expanding the latest communication technology with the internet and smartphones. Another way is to promote personal contact by organising visits to the various locations, even if this has to be planned and implemented with extra care due to the pandemic.

 

Visits between Northern Ireland and Linz

“We are creating new jobs in Austria and Northern Ireland and establishing our RM Family Spirit across all our locations. We learn a lot from each other, both professionally and personally, and develop new products together. And it’s the TOGETHER that I would like to highlight in particular,” says RM CEO Gerald Hanisch, who very much appreciates the many years of screen expertise provided by RM colleagues in Dungannon. The different approaches boost ideas, kick-start innovations and improve workflows. So teams from Engineering, HR, Marketing, Purchasing, Logistics, etc., keep heading over to Ireland while Northern Irish colleagues travel to Linz. It was only in the autumn that Hannah Dillon, a business analyst from Dungannon, visited Linz. She is enthusiastic about the RM spirit in Ireland and Linz: “RUBBLE MASTER has a very progressive attitude to work, and the colleagues here are all very friendly and helpful”. During her visit to Linz in autumn, she was able to take away loads of inspiration for the implementation of an ERP system at the location in Dungannon, as well as having gained many personal contacts. Meeting colleagues in person and getting to know the locations also simplifies communication by email and phone. In addition to the economic aspects, the RM Group is also aware of its ecological responsibility and plans business trips for maximum effectiveness.

 

Internship abroad for apprentices

Apprentices in Linz also have the opportunity to spend time abroad at the RM location in Dungannon, Northern Ireland. “The two-week internship is an incentive for our apprentices. We assist them from the beginning with planning their trip as well as establishing contact with colleagues. The way they have to organise the internship themselves and the cultural exchange promote independence enormously,” says Regina Denkmayr, apprentice trainer at the RM Group. “All-in-all, it was a great and interesting time. The colleagues in Northern Ireland were extremely friendly and helpful; they welcomed me as one of their own and showed me their everyday working life,” says Simon Gabriel about his internship in September. The apprentices not only benefit personally and professionally, the experience also has advantages for the RM Group, as warehouse logistics apprentice Gabriel explains: “The internship was very informative for me because it showed me how important good organisation and, above all, communication are within a company. I could see that good stores management, as well as a well-run ERP system, can make a very big difference to how quickly work can be done.” Now that the prospective warehouse logistics specialist has become familiar with the working methods and on-site layout of the Northern Ireland location during his internship, he will be able to make a decisive contribution to the implementation of the ERP system.

“When I founded RUBBLE MASTER as a mechanical engineer 30 years ago, I never imagined that one day the RM team would file a patent to do with artificial intelligence and digitalisation,” says RM founder and CEO Gerald Hanisch. This reflects the openness of Hanisch and the RM Group and is the basis for the success of RM crushers and screens all over the world. He puts buzzwords like construction site 4.0, zero emissions, connectivity and the like into perspective: “Yes, these terms describe current trends. But for me, it’s important to keep a 360° view. We take a look at everything directly on-site together with the customer to find potentials for how we can contribute to the construction site of the future. And to be honest, I like to set trends myself rather than jump on those claimed by others.”

 

Electrification of crushers AND screens

Hanisch gives a concrete example with electrification, where RM has been a pioneer for decades: “We electrified all the drives of our crushers right from the start in 1991. Other suppliers are only now following suit after 30 years and boasting about something that we have been consistently implementing since 1991.” As a pioneer in the electrification of processing machines, the company will launch a completely revised pre-screen later this year. “Screens are still almost exclusively equipped with diesel-hydraulic drives. We set a milestone here and continue to develop our screens. This means we offer customers a fully electrified solution that not only reduces costs but also increases efficiency,” explains Hanisch. Following the spirit of RM NEXT level electrification, this pre-screen is part of a smart processing line. Find out more about RM next level electrification.

Visions for the construction site of the future

Reading about the construction site of the future often brings up the image of urban construction sites and terms such as autonomous driving, digitalisation and zero emissions dominate. Gerald Hanisch, however, knows his customers: “Construction sites will still vary greatly in the future. Of course, it will be extremely important in urban areas that noise, emissions and dust are kept to a minimum. For construction sites in remote areas such as the jungles of Southeast Asia or desert regions in Central and South America, on the other hand, issues such as energy supply and predictive maintenance are key. That’s why our top priority is to respond flexibly.” Digitalisation and artificial intelligence are essential for RUBBLE MASTER to evaluate and manage the entire flow of information from sensors and cameras. “Many machine builders see their crushers as solo players in processing. With our mobile impact crushers, we are thinking along the entire processing chain. Depending on the application, pre-screens and post-screens are important components in the process. That is precisely why we have also added a jaw crusher to our product range this year, in order to offer our customers the entire processing line to RM standards. These machines can communicate with each other  in order to avoid belts running empty and to save energy, for example,” explains Markus Gaggl, CTO. While autonomously operating crushers and screens are still at the development stage, the RM Group already offers its customers assistance procedures to optimally feed the crushers and screens thanks to the Performance Indicator. https://www.rubblemaster.com/en/rm-next/

 

Energy supply is a central topic

“Because we take the entire processing chain into consideration, power management has emerged as a particularly important topic for us,” says Gaggl, providing insight into another exciting topic from the RUBBLE MASTER innovation forge. Preventing energy from being consumed while machines are idling is one aspect of this topic where we have already come a long way. Still on the desks and PCs of RM engineers, however, are concepts for energy supply. Gaggl also sees the construction site of the future as definitely being electric: “The automotive industry is setting the pace here. Considering that the decision has been made to practically phase out combustion engines by 2030, there will be many more electric construction machines in the foreseeable future.” However, the grid operators also need to do their homework and expand the grid more. For RM, this is sometimes the reason to offer its customers the possibility to either connect to the grid or to work completely self-sufficiently or even to supply an entire processing line consisting of pre-screen, crusher and post-screen from a single power source.

Company culture of innovative design

“We want to remain among the best crusher and screen manufacturers in the world and continue to set the pace for major innovations in mobile processing. We are pulling out all the stops to achieve this,” says Hanisch, confirming the company’s goals for the next decade. RUBBLE MASTER fosters a culture of innovation and a culture of error within the company. Problems are treated as opportunities to move forward. The key is bringing together the best minds in the industry under one roof at the RM Group. This includes having a dedicated team of employees as well as working together with universities and technical colleges. In keeping with the spirit of open innovation, Hanisch also talks openly about his source of creativity: “Diversity and openness are the most important aspects of creativity for me, to think out of the box and to create something new for our customers.”