‘We’re flipping the narrative’: CDE write a new chapter for clay with Hillhead showcase

JUST two years after launching their high-performance filter press at Hillhead, wet-processing experts CDE return to the show with the ProPress, which has been installed across six continents and completed more than 80,000 operating hours.

From Europe to Australia and right here the UK, operators are using the technology to recover more water, reduce reliance on freshwater supplies, transform difficult sludge streams into a manageable filter cake which has commercial uses, and unlock new value from materials previously considered as waste.

In the coming days, CDE will be joined on their stand at Hillhead 2026 by a range of customers who have integrated the ProPress into their operations, including Blackpool-based JN Civils, whose recycling operations manager, Dave Scott, said: ‘The advantages of the ProPress over traditional sand or silt lagoons is that it recycles the water in a more efficient way. It’s safer for people coming on site. There are a lot of safety aspects with the robot working on top. It’s an overall better solution.’

ProPress uses a dual feed and increased chamber volume to handle more material, producing a dryer cake product, while recycling 95% of its process water.

It is specifically designed for the efficient dewatering of sludge in construction, demolition, and excavation (CD&E) waste recycling, quarrying, and mining applications and incorporates the latest in robotic technology and automation to ensure safe, efficient operation whilst reducing cycle times and operating costs, to help maximize processing outputs.

David Dowie, wash plant operations supervisor at Collier Quarrying & Recycling in Scotland, said: ‘Now we’ve got the ProPress, we’re getting fresh water on call when we need it. It’s taken all the stress away.’ 

Similarly, Colm Connolly, facilities manager at IMS in Dublin said investing in the ProPress is the best decision the company has made. ‘We’ve given ourselves a far more sustainable business model, longer life, and longer facility life.’

CDE’s director of transformation, Paschal Lynch, said for too long clay has been treated as a waste by-product needing careful management that incurs significant cost.

‘We’re flipping the narrative. We don’t see clay as a waste but as an opportunity. Already we’ve identified real applications for clay, from cohesive fill in infrastructure to a stabilizing ingredient in roadworks and, better still, as a very promising decarbonizing technology.’

Visitors to Hillhead are invited to meet the CDE team to learn more about the ProPress, explore its performance since launch, and discuss how CDE’s wet processing expertize can help unlock value from their material.

For more information, visit the CDE team located at stand A11 in the upper showground. You can also request a meeting with the team in advance via the CDE website: www.cdegroup.com/hillhead