A triumphant return to RWM

As the UK’s leader in the design and manufacture of refuse collection vehicles (RCVs), we have a unique insight into the existing and emerging challenges faced by our customers across the waste and recycling industry. As expectations shift and requirements continue to change, we know the importance of ensuring our technology keeps pace with this ever-evolving landscape. That’s why at this year’s RWM Expo we took the opportunity to unveil several new and improved innovations, all of which offer something different to the market.

Here’s a small insight into what we introduced on our stand:

CrewSense AI is coming to the UK

Initially launched by our colleagues at Terberg Environmental at IFAT in Munich, we can reveal that CrewSense AI is now available for our UK customers. An OEM-engineered, AI-powered camera system, CrewSense AI helps to enhance situational awareness at the rear of an RCV, improving crew confidence and diligence during collection rounds. It does this by providing an appropriate response to non-standard or at-risk operating actions at the vehicle’s rear in real time, reinforcing responsible operation.

“Having identified that RCV crews need a greater level of support to increase their confidence beyond training and experience alone, we designed CrewSense AI to alleviate their reliance on memory and habits when operating in critical working zones, enhancing their experience,” said Simon McCulloch, Technical Sales Manager, Dennis Eagle. “By encouraging best practice during daily operations, this helps to reduce near misses and decrease vehicle downtime.”

The only operational behaviour system fully integrated with our Olympus body range, as well as Terberg OmniDEL and OmniDEKA bin lifts, this makes CrewSense AI unique within the UK market; an AI camera solution that is built into Dennis Eagle technology rather than bolted on. Compatible with our Terberg Connect diagnostics tool, it is also able to capture data in real time for accurate and timely incident reporting.

The ORUS range is evolving

Simpler Recycling legislation has fundamentally changed how waste is collected across the UK and will continue to do so into 2027. In March of this year, many local authorities and commercial waste specialists were prompted to begin collecting food waste as a separate waste stream, resulting in the introduction of new food collection services all over the country. We’re aware that due to this change even greater volumes of food waste are now being collected on a regular basis, particularly from a commercial waste perspective, requiring maximum collection payloads on a minimal chassis footprint.

Launched for the first time at RWM, the new ORUS 11HD food waste vehicle from Terberg Matec UK has a market-leading payload of 7.8 tonnes, offering an 11m3 watertight, leakproof body mounted on a compact 16-tonne chassis. “Its fully sealed body is essential for liquid retention, helping to avoid leachate spillage, and semi-compaction loading makes it the ideal choice for either wet, dense organic waste or heavy glass collections,” said Kevin Forbes, General Sales Manager, Terberg Matec UK. “In fact, the ORUS 11HD is the first of the family specifically developed to target commercial collections, maintaining important commonality with the remainder of the ORUS range while vastly expanding body volume.”

OmniWeigh: the smarter way of weighing waste

RWM also provided a platform for us to showcase our dynamic bin weighing solution, this time with a fresh look and a new name. Designed by our experts for our systems, OmniWeigh helps turn your RCV into a data collection vehicle. By providing real-time operational insights into the weight of different bins and waste streams, it enables refuse collection teams to unlock ‘pay-by-weight’ billing opportunities, optimise route efficiencies, and remain compliant by preventing overloading. Thanks to exceptional weighing accuracy, a highly scalable architecture, and compatibility with multiple back office systems, OmniWeigh gives fleet operators the flexibility they need to unlock the full potential of their waste collection services.

Eat Now to fight back against food waste

Building on the success of our sustainable schools initiative and our highly popular Dennis to the Rescue mobile classroom, we gave RWM attendees the chance to trial a brand-new sustainability tool developed in partnership with Skips Educational: the ‘Eat Now’ strip. Designed specifically to address the urgent need to reduce food waste within the UK, the Eat Now strip gives households and organisations a visible prompt to identify and prioritise food approaching expiry dates in an attempt to minimise food wastage. An FSC-certified recyclable divider, this can be placed on a fridge shelf to create a clearly visible ‘use first’ zone for food that needs attention.

This is accompanied by a virtual AI assistant which offers recipe ideas, freezing advice, and food storage tips based on the ingredients specified by the user. A data-driven platform accompanying the strip itself is even able to provide measurable results that demonstrate its impact, offering estimated food portion, water, and even CO2 savings. “The Eat Now strip is a simple, comprehensive way of helping people better manage their food waste at home by inspiring behavioural change,” said Lee Rowland, Sales and Marketing Manager, Dennis Eagle. “With recent Simpler Recycling legislation shaping food waste collections across the country, it felt like the perfect time to put the Eat Now strip in the hands of our customers.”

RWM offered the ideal setting for us to bring these new ideas and innovations into the world of waste. Our enthusiasm for each reveal was reflected by the customers who joined us on the stand, inspiring considerable anticipation for the potential future impact of these solutions. Of course, RWM was just the start – there’s a lot more to look forward to as we head into the final few months of 2026, and we can’t wait to see what’s on the near horizon.