Independent reviews of your operation to identify where control, performance or margin may be being lost.

The review can cover the full site or focus on a particular process line, material stream or operational issue. This includes looking at how material enters the site, how it moves through production, how outputs are measured and whether the current systems give management a reliable view of performance.

The aim is not simply to produce a long report. Findings are prioritised around operational risk, likely return on investment and what can realistically be implemented by the business.

Areas reviewed can include:

• Production throughput and plant utilisation

• Yield, recovery and material losses

• Stock accuracy and reconciliation

• Downtime and recurring breakdowns

• Maintenance routines and critical spares

• Material flow, storage and site organisation

• Operator routines and shift handovers

• Quality control and batch traceability

• Dust, spillage and housekeeping issues

• Health, safety and compliance gaps

• Immediate improvements and longer-term CAPEX requirements

For example, an audit may identify that a plant is achieving the required product quality but only by running below its designed throughput. It may also uncover metal being lost into dust, waste or floor sweepings, incorrect equipment settings, weak stock controls or operators repeatedly working around the same unresolved problem.

Depending on the requirement, the service can range from a focused site snapshot through to a detailed multi-day audit including photographs, priority actions, commercial impact where measurable and a structured improvement roadmap.

Typical outputs include:

• Findings report with supporting photographs

• Priority list ranked by risk and return

• Immediate actions and quick wins

• 30, 60 and 90-day improvement plan

• Recommended process or equipment changes

• Support with implementing the findings

Best suited to: businesses preparing for growth, sites experiencing recurring operational problems, new owners seeking an independent review, or larger groups needing a fresh assessment of a particular site or process.

Focused support to improve throughput, recovery, product quality and the overall stability of a processing line.

Plant performance can deteriorate gradually. Feedstock changes, components wear, operators adjust settings and temporary workarounds become permanent. Output may still look acceptable, but the plant can be losing capacity, recovery or margin without the business clearly seeing it.

This service reviews how the process is actually performing against what it should be capable of achieving. The focus is on making better use of existing equipment before recommending major capital expenditure.

Areas of support can include:

• Throughput restrictions and plant bottlenecks

• Feed presentation and material distribution

• Shredder, granulator and screening performance

• Air separation, zigzag and density-table settings

• Optical, induction and sensor-sorting performance

• Dust extraction and loss of metallic content

• Conveyor speeds, transfer points and material retention

• Product quality and contamination issues

• Oversize, middlings and re-run generation

• Operator settings and access controls

• Plant cleaning, calibration and inspection routines

• Trial planning and performance validation

For example, a plant may be producing too much middling material because an air separator is running too aggressively. The immediate response is often to re-run the material, but that creates additional labour, electricity use and lost production time. A review would look at the underlying cause, adjust the process and measure whether more material can be recovered correctly on the first pass.

Another example may involve a sorting machine appearing to lose performance. Before an expensive OEM visit is arranged, the review may find that cameras, viewing glass, lighting, belt presentation or chute settings are affecting separation quality.

The work can involve observation, sampling, mass-balance testing, setting trials and comparison of input and output data. Where suitable, operators and supervisors can also be given standard settings and routines to help maintain the improvement.

Typical outcomes include:

• Increased throughput

• Improved recovery and saleable yield

• Reduced waste and metallic losses

• Lower re-run volumes

• More stable product quality

• Reduced downtime

• Better use of existing plant

• Clear evidence before committing to CAPEX

Best suited to: sites with poor or inconsistent recovery, recurring product-quality issues, under performing equipment, excessive re-runs, increasing waste outputs or plant that is not achieving its expected capacity.

Practical systems that give management a clearer view of what is being processed, what is being recovered and where performance is changing.

Many recycling businesses grow faster than their operational controls. Production increases, more grades are introduced and additional staff or equipment are added, but the underlying tracking may still rely on handwritten sheets, weighbridge records, spreadsheets that do not connect or information held by individual employees.

This service helps introduce a level of control that matches the size and complexity of the operation. Systems can be kept deliberately simple or developed into a more detailed digital platform.

Areas of support can include:

• Daily and shift production reporting

• Input and output tonnage tracking

• Yield and recovery reporting

• Batch identification and traceability

• Supplier out-turn reporting

• Product-quality records

• Downtime and breakdown logging

• Stock movements and reconciliation

• Production planning

• Transport and dispatch planning

• Packaging and order requirements

• Operator data-entry systems

• KPI dashboards and management reporting

• Automated reports using Microsoft 365 tools

A simple first phase may use Microsoft Forms, Excel and Power BI to replace inconsistent paper records and prove that the business will use the system correctly.

A more developed second phase could bring production, downtime, transport, packaging, maintenance and stock movements into one operational platform. This allows management to see current performance, adjust production plans and identify problems without waiting for information to be manually compiled.

For example, supplier batches can be tracked from receipt through shredding, picking, separation and final saleable products. This gives the business evidence when a supplier’s material contains more contamination or produces a lower metallic yield than expected.

The focus is not on creating administration for its own sake. Data collection should be useful, proportionate and linked to decisions the business needs to make.

Typical outcomes include:

• Clearer production visibility

• Reliable yield and recovery figures

• Improved supplier and purchasing decisions

• Better stock accuracy

• Faster identification of downtime and performance loss

• Improved shift accountability

• Stronger production planning

• Better evidence for customer and supplier discussions

Best suited to: growing businesses relying on manual records, sites without reliable yield reporting, operations with poor stock visibility, or larger companies needing a focused digital system for a particular site or process.

CAPEX scoping, OEM liaison, Independent operational support for equipment purchases, plant installations, process changes and commissioning projects.

New equipment can be technically capable but still fail to deliver the expected result if the wider process has not been properly considered. Problems commonly arise around feed presentation, conveyors, access, material storage, extraction, electrical integration, operator training and the way equipment connects to the existing line.

MH Processing can support the project from the initial concept through to installation, ramp-up and performance validation.

Support can include:

• Defining the operational requirement

• CAPEX scoping and business-case development

• Process-flow and layout reviews

• Equipment and OEM comparisons

• Supplier and OEM liaison

• Tender and quotation review

• Feedstock trials

• Site-readiness planning

• Installation coordination

• Snagging and defect tracking

• Commissioning support

• Operator training and standard settings

• Acceptance testing

• Throughput, recovery and quality validation

• Post-installation optimisation

For example, an OEM may supply a sorting machine that performs well during a controlled trial, but the production installation may still struggle due to inconsistent feed depth, poor screening or unsuitable conveyor speeds. Independent support helps ensure that the complete process is considered rather than assessing the new machine in isolation.

This service can also support smaller plant changes, such as modifying a picking line, replacing a screening unit, adding dust recovery equipment, improving bagging arrangements or changing the layout to reduce unnecessary material handling.

The role is not to replace the OEM or installation contractor. It is to represent the operational needs of the client and help ensure that the finished system works in normal production conditions.

Typical outcomes include:

• Clearer equipment specifications

• Reduced risk of unsuitable CAPEX

• Better coordination between site and suppliers

• Faster identification of installation issues

• More controlled commissioning

• Evidence that equipment meets agreed performance

• Improved operator understanding

• A clearer route from installation to stable production

Best suited to: businesses purchasing new equipment, expanding processing capacity, changing site layouts, commissioning sensor-based sorting systems or needing independent support during a complex installation.

Flexible ongoing support for businesses that need additional operational capacity but do not require another full-time senior employee.

This service is designed for owners, directors and management teams who need regular input around production control, process performance and improvement delivery.

Support can be provided through scheduled site days, remote reviews or a retained arrangement. The exact structure depends on the size of the business and the level of involvement required.

Ongoing support can include:

• Weekly or monthly production reviews

• Yield, throughput and downtime analysis

• Production planning and performance reporting

• Implementation of audit findings

• Troubleshooting recurring process issues

• Maintenance-priority reviews

• Stock and material-flow controls

• Supplier-quality and out-turn analysis

• CAPEX planning

• OEM and contractor coordination

• Operator and supervisor development

• SOPs and standard operating controls

• Temporary operational or management cover

• Progress tracking against improvement plans

• Independent support to owners and directors

For a growing SME, this may mean introducing the operational structure normally provided by a Production Manager, Process Engineer or Continuous Improvement Manager without the cost of employing all of those roles internally.

For a larger group, the support may be narrower and focused on one site, plant, project or recurring performance issue where the internal team does not currently have the available time or specialist capacity.

For example, a retained review may involve assessing production and yield data each month, visiting the site to investigate variances, agreeing actions with management and then checking whether those actions have delivered the expected result.

The structure can also provide continuity after an audit or optimisation project. This reduces the risk of improvements being agreed but gradually falling away once normal operational pressures return.

Typical outcomes include:

• Greater management visibility

• More consistent production control

• Faster resolution of recurring issues

• Continued implementation of improvement actions

• Better accountability

• Reduced pressure on owners and senior managers

• More informed CAPEX and operational decisions

• Continuous improvement rather than one-off intervention

Best suited to: growing businesses, owner-managed sites, operations going through change, businesses without dedicated process or improvement roles, and larger groups requiring focused additional support.