Maintaining clear runways and keeping weather-related disruption to a minimum lies at the heart of all airport winter operations. Recent years have seen the environment added to the mix, with airports today increasingly under pressure to ensure that their winter operations are not only effective but sustainable.
Bucher Municipal developed its first runway sweeper in 1976, and has spent the decades since keeping airports free of foreign object debris (FOD) and glycol, producing sweeping equipment now found on runways all over the world. Today, in addition to supplying close to 1,000 airport sweepers to 80 countries, it is using its many years of engineering knowhow to develop solutions that are environmentally friendly.
Mike Moore, global key account manager, Bucher Municipal
Glycol recovery
Keeping runways clear may be the best-known aspect of airport operations, but it is imperative that aircraft are also kept ice-free on the stand. Aircraft de-icing consists of the preventive (anti-icing) or corrective (de-icing) application of aircraft de-icing fluid (ADF) products, made up of chemical agents based on propylene/ethylene glycol, which act by lowering the freezing point of the aircraft surface to prevent or melt ice, snow or frost while it is stationary.
While essential for airport operations, these de-icing products are a major cause of organic loads in surface waters, which can have a negative impact on downstream infrastructure in the absence of adequate on-site evacuation and treatment measures. This is where glycol recovery comes into play.
Case study
Osch, Bucher Municipal’s exclusive sales and service partner in Luxembourg, recently supplied Luxembourg Airport with a Bucher V series aero sweeper with glycol recovery capability. Designed for the cleaning of spills from aircraft, this versatile unit not only carries out glycol recovery but can use its front roller brush for snow clearance.
Gilles Osch, managing partner of Osch, said of the deployment: “Over the V90 aero’s first winter in operation, Luxembourg Airport saw a considerable improvement in the management of de-icing water, recording an ADF recovery rate of 30%. As Bucher Municipal’s Luxembourg partner, we work to supply customers with the best solutions to help them achieve their sustainability goals.”
Bucher Municipal’s V series offers various models and options, including full-width liquid recovery models, rear suction models, and, in the case of the MaxaPowa V95t, a multi-purpose pick-up head.
It is worth pointing out that glycol recovery is not only good for the environment but has financial benefits – as the recovered product can be processed and re-used, less glycol is required, meaning airports and GSE firms may see substantial reductions in the cost of transporting, storing and disposing of the product.
The option to retrofit glycol recovery capability is also financially attractive, as is the potential to use a ma-chine year-round. Dortmund Airport, for instance, which rents a Bucher MaxPowa V65t on a seasonal basis, converted it for glycol recovery ahead of the winter season. Come spring, the V65t will be re-equipped with the standard suction unit, enabling the airport to optimise the machine regardless of the season.
Bucher Municipal offers runway sweepers to suit all sizes of airport
Commissioning and deployment
Every Bucher machine undergoes a pre-delivery inspection by skilled production staff. Once installed at the customer’s site, the sweepers are subjected to a full functionality check. This is part of an ongoing dialogue between supplier and customer – Bucher regards customer feedback as a key contributor to product evolution.
Bucher Municipal prides itself on its 360° customer service, which involves not only repairs, maintenance and the supply of parts, but training in how to use its equipment. In the UK alone, Bucher Municipal has seven service centres and more than 60 factory trained engineers. A global parts centre in Dorking, Surrey, houses £7m worth of stock – 30,000 parts – and a fully barcoded inventory management system, enabling next-day delivery. All parts enquiries are channelled directly to a team of experts.
Bucher Municipal will also tailor repair and maintenance contracts to the client, and offers a 24/7 call-out and pre- and post-season maintenance.
Training is provided on-site, at a Bucher Municipal customer service centre, or at the Dorking head office. Bucher Municipal offers certified operator courses, technician and refresher training. Workshop technicians, once trained, have access to the company’s technical support experts.
Fuelled by 100% hydrogen, the MaxPowa V65 emits only water vapour
A greener future
Over the last decade, Bucher Municipal has been at the forefront of using alternative fuels to support both sustainability drives and total cost of ownership. The company has also invested in the development of a number of intelligent driverless sweepers for overseas flagship customers.
In March 2024, Bucher Municipal unveiled a technology demonstrator hydrogen truck-mounted sweeper. Powered by an internal combustion auxiliary engine, developed by JCB, and fuelled by 100% hydrogen, the MaxPowa V65 provides a practical, sustainable sweeping solution for airports, due to an extended range and fast refuelling times. The sweeper’s hydrogen technology ensures that only water vapour is emitted, eliminating CO2 emissions at the point of use, significantly improving air quality and helping Bucher Municipal’s airport clients meet their sustainability targets
Bucher Municipal is marking its first century of manufacturing in Dorking, now from a modern, much larger base
FURTHER READING: A century of quality
Bucher Municipal is one of the few companies still manufacturing in the UK, producing truck-mounted sweepers at its Dorking global competency centre. This year marks a century of manufacturing in the small market town, nestled in the Surrey Hills and under half-an-hour from London Gatwick Airport.
The company’s Dorking story began with the 1924 purchase of W L Bodman by The Road Plant Construction Company, a subsidiary of Johnston Brothers. Initially focusing on road sweepers, the Dorking site began supplying snowploughs the following decade, delivering at least two to each of the RAF’s 60+ airfields. Innovation continued and the early 1950s saw the development of ‘The Scavenger’, a mechanical sweeper towed behind a collecting truck. Its success led to a commitment to design and develop a fully functioning vacuum suction sweeper. The world’s first truck-mounted sweeper, the Mk1, was launched at the 1960 Public Works Exhibition in London. Within five years, the Dorking site was supplying more than 80% of the UK mar-ket and had delivered its 500th sweeper.
The 1970s saw Johnston Sweepers – today part of Bucher Municipal – begin to focus on airport vehicles
The 1970s saw a focus on airport sweepers. Developments included the Johnston 200 Airport Series’ innovative use of large mirrors above the cab and glass panels in the roof, features that have since been replaced by miniature video cameras. The 450 Airport Sweeper (a variation of the 400 Series) was launched in 1979, featuring outrigger brushes and broom-assisted nozzles to sweep large aircraft stand areas. It was also fit-ted with a front-mounted magnet for retrieving metal objects from runways and taxiways.
The 600 Series launched in the late 1980s, featuring significantly reduced noise, a simplified design and a new fan drive system. A decade later the company strengthened its airport equipment portfolio with the acquisition of BEAM, known for its heavy-duty bespoke specialist runway sweepers and airport stand cleaners.
In 2005, Johnston Sweepers was bought by Bucher Municipal. To accommodate the additional products, Bucher Municipal invested £11m in the Dorking factory site. Operational since 2021, it produces airport sweepers, driving continuous investment in emerging and innovative technologies. Among the newer Dorking-developed products is the Bucher V95t high-speed airport sweeper. Fans of the TV show Top Gear will be delighted to hear that the prototype was tested at Dunsfold Airfield.
A Bucher V90h sweeper in operation at Luxembourg Airport
