Decommissioning & Recycling of Heavy Industrial Equipment
1. Background & Objectives
After decades of operation, the Vinashin plant needed to decommission and liquidate outdated machinery as scrap, while ensuring dismantling was safe, efficient, and did not disrupt adjacent workshops.
Toan Cau BN was contracted to deliver a full-service package: procurement – dismantling – transport – recycling.
2. Scope & Key Volumes
| Category | Estimated Volume |
|---|---|
| Rolling frames & rollers | > 1,260 tons |
| Electric motors & gearboxes | > 480 tons |
| Crane systems, rails & beams | > 1,140 tons |
| Hydraulic pipes, pumps & fittings | > 460 tons |
| Non-ferrous metals (copper, aluminum…) | > 120 tons |
| Lubricants & technical fluids | > 18 m³ |
| E-waste (cables, circuit boards) | > 36 tons |
| Workforce per shift | 4 teams × 22 technicians |
3. Execution Process
- Oil & Fluid Removal – Hydraulic oil sealed in IBC tanks and transferred to licensed oil recovery partners.
- Modular Cutting & Handling – Oxy-propane cutting with 200-ton cranes; rolling mills segmented into 5 × 3 m blocks, cutting lifting time by 25%.
- On-site Sorting – Thin steel (< 6 mm) processed with guillotine cutters; thick steel & forged shafts cut with 400A plasma machines. Copper coils extracted from stators via core-stripping machines, achieving > 99% purity.
- Baling & Transport – All scrap compressed or cut to furnace-ready dimensions, enabling single-batch shipment to port.
4. Key Results
- Completed 2 days ahead of schedule, allowing timely installation of the new production line.
- Recycling rate: 98% of total equipment weight – only 2% (rubber gaskets, old paint) required hazardous waste treatment.
- Zero safety incidents – certified under ISO 45001:2018, maintaining 150 man-days accident-free.
- Significant carbon reduction compared to primary steelmaking.
5. Client Value Delivered
| Benefit | Summary |
|---|---|
| Fast site clearance | Reduced downtime by 15%, enabling earlier progress on plant expansion. |
| Environmental compliance | Hazardous oils and wastes segregated at source, preventing soil and water contamination. |
✅ Toan Cau BN demonstrated its capacity for “smart asset recovery” with large-scale industrial machinery: Fast – Clean – Safe, supporting Vinashin’s transition to advanced technology and sustainable growth.
