Equipment Spotlight | MAR 2015 Balers

by MARY M. COX

Any material needing transport, such as paper and plastic, should be condensed as early as possible when it needs to be moved during the recycling process. High-density bales that can be handled efficiently and safely during loading are preferred because of factors such as lower cost per ton and fewer bales to handle, thus reducing labor cost.

According to Bob Pfeffer, sales director at Harris, “Our firm is the largest and leading manufacturer of horizontal and two-ram balers in North America and this includes the Harris/IPS line of balers for paper and plastic recycling. Our popular Harris/IPS Conquest open-end auto-tie horizontal balers incorporate a large, oversize charge box with patented hinged side compression that provides for higher material throughputs than standard balers. The larger feed opening allows for larger charges of bulky plastics and fiber without the requirement of a perforator or a material conditioner.” He stated that the Conquest series balers can handle large old corrugated container (OCC) material without the bridging issues seen in other balers on the market.

Harris/IPS two-ram series balers offer a patented pre-compression lid that increases the baler’s production by eliminating material “boilback” during the baling process. “We provide our clients with years of engineering and manufacturing experience and the most proven technology without adding optional trendy devices that are needed to make a baler perform, regardless of the material involved – whether fiber, plastics, MSW, refuse derived fuel, electronics, or nonferrous and ferrous metals,” stated Pffefer.

“With our strong product line mix, we can offer several choices rather than just offering one model for all applications involved. We also like to remind clients of the importance of equipment maintenance. Between the demands of production and the general economy, maintenance may be delayed or ignored to the detriment of the equipment. One very important maintenance check is a simple oil analysis. Keeping up with the normal recommended maintenance will minimize potential downtime and in the long run save the operation financial heartaches,” Pffefer said.

Randy Gibson, sales and marketing director, believes the International Baler Corporation (IBC) offers the most complete line of balers in the industry, from verticals and closed-door horizontals, to high-production auto-ties and rugged two rams. “Our machines handle a wide variety of applications including paper, plastic, OCC, scrap metal, textiles, mote, turnings, MSW and more. We even offer shears and baler loggers for ferrous markets. We also provide more options and customization than any other baler manufacturer, ensuring that our customers get the baler that they need,” added Gibson.

He noted that baling has many benefits, particularly cost benefits. “Using a baler, your waste could make money for you, instead of cost you money. If you’re already baling, a more efficient baler may reduce your shipping costs by reducing manpower, and a heavier duty model can increase bale weights, which may result in fewer truckloads,” Gibson said.

Above all, Gibson said the staff at IBC values their customers and the feedback they receive from them. He concluded, “Our clients are located all over the world. We pride ourselves in the knowledge we provide them, along with courteous sales and service assistance. Our regional dealer network ensures that our customers enjoy local sales and service, while large corporate accounts are handled in-house.”

“We’ve packed over 50 years of experience into the Maren Propak 60 and Propak 2R line of two ram and full eject manual tie balers,” explained Todd Wondrow, president of Maren Balers & Shredders. “These balers were developed specifically with post-consumer recycling in mind. They provide the highest material throughput, and are the most durable yet easiest machines in their class to operate. An operator touch screen displays feedback about factors such as amount of bale left before tie off, and also instructs the user in the steps to tie off the bale, eject it and ready the machine for the next bale or material. A Category 4 safety relay monitors all emergency stop circuits and double redundant motor contactors. When baling paper and fibers, paper dust is always a fire concern because it can be ignited by an overheated oil reservoir. For that reason, we include standard monitoring for hot oil and low oil level. A standard air-to-oil cooler also removes heat from the unit. With one touch, a user can change from English to French, Spanish or other languages. The Propak balers are nimble and set the bar for ease of material changeover,” said Wondrow.

He noted that when choosing a baler, a buyer should consider that paper and plastic, while recovered from the same waste stream, are very different from a processing standpoint, especially but not limited to density, compaction ratio, resiliency, and resistance to shear and trailer/container loading scheme. Because of differences between these materials, a baler set up to process plastics may fail miserably when baling paper and vice versa. For optimum efficiency, a baler must adapt itself to material requirements with a minimum of operator time or effort in the changeover, according to Wondrow.

He explained that while the industry seems to be doing well in general, transportation costs may become more challenging. “So, recyclers may choose to compact recyclable materials closer to the source, pulling the same amount of material in fewer loads. This may require placing balers at transfer stations or local facilities that may have shipped loose recyclables in the past. Baling of single stream items prior to transport to a MRF is already a popular trend. Similarly, OCC pulled in compactors from industrial generators like manufacturing and distribution centers will likely be baled at the source and shipped in trailer loads. Even a small horizontal baler can deliver a density of 32-34 lbs./cu.ft, which is typically 300 percent that of compacted OCC,” Wondrow stated.

Finally, Wondrow claimed that when baling non-standard materials, a machine must have the shearing force to avoid the labor expense of pre-conditioning and the compaction force to make saleable bales. “Flexibility to bale other non-standard materials can make the difference between owning a baler that gets the job done vs. owning a baler that expands your business and makes extra money for the user. The chosen baler should have a clear opening to accept materials without bridging when handling items such as 55 gallon plastic drums, 5 gallon plastic pails, printer/monitor plastic casings, steel computer cases and aluminum extrusions.”

Published in the March 2015 Edition of American Recycler News