Schmidt Wasa 300 trailed/towed airport rubber-removal sweeper (distributed by Manmachine Works)

The Schmidt Wasa 300+ is a hydraulically driven towed sweeper built specifically for high-frequency rubber-contaminated surfaces — principally the touchdown zones of active runways where accumulated tyre rubber degrades friction coefficients and poses safety risks. Powered entirely via the towing vehicle's power take-off (PTO), it carries no onboard engine, keeping gross weight low and operating cost minimal. A three-brush arrangement — two side disc brushes feeding inward and a rear roller brush — mechanically lifts and consolidates debris into a 3 m³ steel hopper without a suction fan, which eliminates a primary source of airborne PM10/PM2.5 particulate. The 1,100-litre water system supplies 12 spray nozzles at up to 36 l/min, suppressing dust during the sweep and assisting rubber loosening. At sweeping speeds up to 20 km/h, the unit can cover approximately 48,000 m² per load cycle. All brush and hopper functions are controlled from the towing vehicle cab. For GCC airports operating wide-body, high-cycle fleets — where daily rubber accumulation on touchdown zones is intense — the Wasa 300+ pairs well with tractors or UNIMOG support vehicles already part of the airside fleet, requiring no additional engine infrastructure. Its PM10/PM2.5 four-star certification supports compliance with increasingly strict airside environmental standards across the region.