June 27, 2020
Canadian Aéro Mag has been a customer of Vestergaard Company for many years. Aéro Mag specializes in planning and execution of deicing operations with customers at airports in North America and England.
At Aéro Mag, the environment is very high on the agenda, and it was, therefore, an obvious choice that Aéro Mag should be among the very first to test Vestergaard’s newly developed, sustainable hybrid deicer and the GRV (Glycol Recovery Vehicle).
Gabriel Lépine, Regional Director of Aéro Mag, about the test:
“Innovation is part of Aéro Mag’s DNA. From the beginning, our focus has been on innovative solutions that save customers money. We were pioneers in deicing with aircraft engines running, thus saving time and protecting the environment. We have always focused on reducing our CO2 footprint. Aéro Mag strives to be at the forefront with new solutions. We were among the first to focus on proportional mix and recycling, thus protecting the environment and at the same time saving customers money. Vestergaard’s new solutions very well fit in with our way of thinking.
Aéro Mag’s vision is social responsibility and making an active effort to reduce climate impact. The company is based in French Canadian Quebec, where the focus has always been on hydrostatic power. Electricity is practically CO2 neutral, and it is cheap compared to other forms of energy. For this reason, Quebec and Aéro Mag always aim to replace other technologies with electrical solutions where possible.”
Vestergaard Company’s hybrid deicer is the first of its kind on the market and can, with a fully charged battery, deice 15-20 aircraft without turning on its engine. All activity related to the de-icing operation is entirely electrical.
“The hybrid deicer fits perfectly with Aéro Mag’s vision of sustainability. It will reduce the environmental impact of deicing – both via the BETA’s known operational efficiency and via the use of electricity. Further, the hybrid deicer will reduce emissions of exhaust fumes, which will also benefit airport staff when aircraft are being deiced at the gate. With the use of the Elephant BETA, we already reduce the duration of each deicing operation by up to two minutes. In an airport with 10,000 deicing operations a year, this is a noticeable effect. Combined with the additional environmental benefits of the hybrid deicer, this provides a considerable benefit to the environment “, says Gabriel Lépine.
The newly developed Vestergaard glycol recovery vehicle (GRV) is a specialized unit for efficient collection of slush and water after deicing. After collection, the fluid can either be safely disposed of or, where the airport has this equipment, run through a glycol recycling facility. Therefore, according to Gabriel Lépine, the GRV also fits perfectly with Aéro Mag’s work focusing on sustainability:
“We want a solution for the collection and recycling of glycol in connection with the deicing of aircraft to reduce our environmental footprint. There are already GRVs on the market, but the new Vestergaard GRV uses only half the fuel of the conventional recovery vehicles. This makes it a perfect fit to Aéro Mag’s strategy.
The general trend is that the market demands innovative solutions to reduce the environmental impact, while at the same time focusing on costs and materials. We are on the right track – and everyone else will follow.”
