RiverRidge: Industrial fire Protection for Safe Recycling Processes

How GreCon implemented a 16-zone fire protection solution for shredders, fluidised bed dryers, filters and extraction systems - with real-time monitoring from the control room.

Published 1 April 2026

Industrial fire protection for the recycling industry

RiverRidge operates Northern Ireland's largest integrated waste management company. The company has made significant investments to grow from a small waste container hire and landfill operation to today's fully integrated waste recycler.

Fagus-GreCons and RiverRidge's relationship got its start in 2014 with the protection of the shredding process at both the Portadown and Garvagh sites.

The recycling process poses fire risks. Fagus-GreCon's comprehensive range of highly sensitive detectors provides detection of a range of ignition sources such as sparks, hot particles and glow nests and can also effectively manage challenging conditions in terms of temperature range and ambient lighting.

“Fagus-GreCon's technology and service has convinced us once again. We have a robust solution that protects our operations. The ability to visualise the system remotely has also helped us to stay connected from our control room and monitor events in real time.” Cecil McBurney | Group Operations Manager RiverRidge

RiverRidge has made a significant investment in a fluidised bed dryer and a corresponding extraction system for processing refuse derived fuels. Finding a reliable fire protection solution to protect this investment was therefore of great interest to the company.

GreCon Limited's Managing Director Jonathan Hamill reported on the project:

"Over the summer of 2018, we worked with RiverRidge to determine the protection requirements. Working in partnership, we developed a comprehensive 16-zone fire protection solution to protect the fluidised bed dryer, filters and extraction system. This was followed by 3 weeks of installation work and commissioning of the system."

RiverRidge's Group Operations Manager Cecil McBurney explained:

"GreCon's technology and service has once again impressed us. We have a robust solution that protects our operations. The ability to visualise the system remotely has also helped us stay connected from our control room and monitor events in real time."

We asked RiverRidge to offer advice to companies facing similar difficulties, with the following response:

"Conduct a Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmosphere Risk Assessment (DSEAR). Build a partnership with a reliable supplier like GreCon. Take the time to determine your needs and develop a robust fire protection strategy to protect your operation. And finally, don't wait until a fire breaks out!"

Protect your recycling process before a fire starts

Every recycling process has its own risks. Sparks, hot particles and smouldering nests can quickly become a serious threat to production, equipment and delivery reliability. With the right industrial fire protection strategy, critical areas can be detected, monitored and protected at an early stage.

Do not wait until an incident occurs. Use the contact form at the end of this page to speak with our experts about an industrial fire protection concept for your plant.

Person in front of truck. — *RiverRidge operates Northern Ireland’s largest integrated waste management company and has developed from a small skip hire and landfill business into a fully integrated waste recovery operator.*