Shear power
January 25, 2021
Manufactured in Superior, Wisconsin, Genesis Attachments have long been held in high regard throughout the demolition fraternity in the UK but have never really had the dealer backing to push the product to the heights it has attained in mainland Europe.
As part of the Japanese NPK Group, the addition of the Genesis range, alongside the NPK attachments already offered by Molson, will certainly bolster the company’s portfolio. With a positive reputation the World over, it wasn’t long before Molson were able to get the first unit out to a long-term Genesis user.
The first unit, a GTX555R rotating shear was tasked with aiding in the decommissioning and dismantling of the huge Tata Chemicals plant in Northwich, Cheshire.
The plant originally owned by Brunner Mond was one of the largest in the World to produce Soda Ash but spiralling costs form the ageing plant forced its new owners Tata to restructure their manufacturing division in Cheshire and shut the huge plant at the end of 2014. The massive tract of land on which the plants were sitting on was eventually sold off for much needed housing with the final part of the plant being demolished from the end of 2020.
The bulk of the plant sill standing contained masses of steel in varying sizes and grades. Mounted in the main to a Hitachi ZX1000 bespoke demolition machine, the only one of its kind in the UK, the Genesis shear has proved to be a winner for the demolition company.
Despite its 5.6 tonne weight, the body of the shear is considerably smaller than many of its rivals yet still matches the current market leaders in all aspects of its specification.
According to the manufacturer, the Genesis XT shear is designed to process steel and other materials more efficiently in scrap and demolition applications with the equivalent power to other brands all built on a smaller body. Downtime is said to be minimal thanks to the bolt-on piercing tip which encapsulates front of upper jaw, minimising the potential risk of damage. Short primary cutting blades position the apex closer to the rear of the jaws and draw material further into the jaws where the higher cutting forces makes the shear more efficient. The smaller body design and lower build height also improves the visibility to the jaws for the operator seated over 30m away. The GTX555R boasts a jaw opening of 762mm and requires a minimum oil flow of just 340 litres per minute.
Regular operator Michael Webb is extremely pleased with the new shear saying the opening and closing time is very efficient allowing him to quickly and safely dismantle the large tower structures on the site.
