Baling commodities, such as plastics and paper, is primarily for transportation purposes. Processors seek high-density bales that can be handled efficiently and safely during loading. Higher bale density leads to lower wire cost per ton and fewer bales to handle (reducing labor cost), which allows processors to more efficiently run their facilities.

Roger Williams, national sales manager, said that American Baler manufactures balers used in the paper and nonferrous scrap industries. According to him, “We offer products to industries that include box plants, printers, converters, distribution centers, municipalities, trash haulers, recyclers, scrap metal yards, MRF’s and plastic recyclers. We have also served unique markets that require balers for begasse – which is sugar cane by-product – mineral wool, alfalfa, corn husks and pulp.

“Our equipment is used around the world by customers who process as little as a ton per day, up to those who process 60 tons per hour.” He added that the growing practice of going green indicates that the trend toward recycling will continue to grow in popularity.

“The United States must learn to increase effectiveness in handling the material we now send to landfills. One sensible solution might include the waste-to-energy model, although some in that burgeoning industry can also face large hurdles in ensuring air quality, relative to nearby residents. As long as the world economy can provide a viable product using recycled goods, there will always be a need for balers and similar equipment,” he said.

Excel Manufacturing designs and manufactures horizontal balers for the recycling industry, including both single-ram and two-ram horizontal balers. “Both products are designed with a combination of innovative engineering, virtually indestructible construction, and top quality materials and components. Our company is also unique as we build our own conveyor systems, which are designed to work in flawless conjunction with our baler designs,” said Brady Bergey, regional sales manager.

He added, “We offer balers for a variety of materials – OCC, paper, plastics, cans and solid waste. General recycling, MRF’s, distribution, municipalities, nonferrous metal applications and manufacturing encompass our primary markets.”

Bergey noted, “From a small-town recycling center processing 30 tons per month to a scrap yard demanding thousands of tons per month, our product line can meet most any requirement. Excel’s goal is to provide a baling system that will make you money, every second it is running. By selecting the right machine for the application, we assure a satisfied customer for life.”

Bergey said there are many items to consider before making a baler purchase. “We always try to address space requirements at the proposed baler facility. We want to assure that the baler will meet the customer’s needs, that the facility layout is appropriate for optimized operation and that all possible challenges are addressed well before a deposit check is ever written. An often-overlooked challenge is the time and cost that may be required to build a pit for an in-ground conveyor. We advise all of our customers to meet with a contractor in advance, so there are no surprises or delays. Once the homework is done and the baler is delivered, most installations will only take a day or two with time also dedicated to operator training, safety requirements, and start up needs,” he explained.

He said that Excel, founded in 1991, is a well-recognized name among baler manufacturers.

According to Bob Pfeffer, the firm’s director of sales in the United States and Canada, “Recyclers today rely on our rugged processing equipment and there is simply no equipment brand more widely known to recyclers than Harris.”

“We work with the recycling industry supplying the equipment that has helped the industry become what it is today. We offer equipment that offers innovations in performance and automation. That results in higher output for material processors. Our customer base can range from one ton per day to over 15,000 tons per month, depending on the size of baler and the number of operating shifts per day.”

For the plastic and paper markets, Harris offers a variety of balers dependent upon application, including: vertical balers for very small volume applications, horizontal closed-door balers for low volume applications, open-end auto-tie balers for mid- to high-volume applications, and two-ram balers for mid- to high-volume applications.

“The most frequently utilized balers for plastic and paper are our open-end horizontal auto-tie balers – the HLO and HP Series, and the two-ram balers – Wolverine, Badger, Gorilla, Grizzly, HRB Centurion, HRB 1035, HRB 1245, HRB 1445 and HRB 1545 Series,” Pfeffer said. Harris also offers size reduction equipment for the scrap metal, general recycling and solid waste industries. Products include guillotine shears, auto shredders, ferrous balers, two-ram balers, horizontal auto-tie balers, closed-door balers and vertical balers. Harris EHD System™ balers range from 40 hp to 300 hp.

Pfeffer stated, “We design products with attributes that are exactly what recyclers need. Our new hydraulic design produces a machine that is significantly faster, offering higher productivity. Other features also reduce and control ongoing operating costs. The Harris Bale Watch™ system has been enhanced with a larger touch-screen control panel, increasing efficiency. Detailed production reporting and a range of pre-programmed settings to maximize baler productivity on selected materials are also standard. Our new Ethernet-driven online diagnostics tool allows engineers to interface with a machine in real time, accelerating diagnostics and allowing immediate adjustments to machine settings.”