Balers For Cardboard

Many businesses are impacted by runaway cardboard wastage. The stuff can get everywhere, piling up haphazardly in walkways, filling bins in an inefficient use of space and generally just making your site unsafe – especially if it gets wet. That’s why we’re investigating balers for cardboard and how they can reduce the volume of your cardboard waste and make it much easier to handle. 

We’ll explore their benefits for business and the environment. Look out for some top tips on why you should invest in a baler machine and factors to consider when researching.

• What is a Cardboard Baler?
• Why Do Businesses Need a Cardboard Baler?
• Waste Baling and Your Recycling Policy

What is a Cardboard Baler?

Often used within companies managing large amounts of waste material, a baler is a machine which compresses cardboard (amongst other waste types), making it ready for sale, recycling or other disposal methods. They’re often found in large establishments, such as manufacturing companies, retail environments, medical facilities, educational establishments and factories.

When considering a baler for improving waste management, ask yourself these questions:

• How do you currently remove cardboard waste? 
• What is your company’s waste management policy? 
• Could existing procedures be improved upon?

Investing in a baler is a way of satisfying any inconsistencies within these answers. 

Why Do Businesses Need a Cardboard baler?

We’ve put together five of the best reasons as to why a baler for cardboard will benefit your business.

1. Fewer Pickups, Cheaper Costs 

A baler compresses cardboard into manageable sized ‘bales’. These can be stored neatly until there’s enough ready for collection. Baling waste removes all costs associated with waste removal and landfill. Additional cost reductions include forklift use, heating and cooling. 

2. Time Savings

Less focus on waste handling – such as flattening cardboard boxes and transferring them to skips – and other methods mean higher company productivity. Cardboard baler allows team members to continue with the tasks that drive a business forwards as they’ve got a quick cycle time.

3. Cleaner Environment

Compressed cardboard means less volume of waste in the workplace. This is more beneficial to the workplace and also reduces any risk of infestations.

4. Reduced Risk & Increased Safety

By using a baler for cardboard, you’re also reducing the potential of a fire hazard by collecting flammable objects together and storing them away from anything that could start a fire. Additional health and safety perks include fewer trips and falls due to a cluttered environment, as well as less risk of theft. 

5. Revenue Stream

Selling baled cardboard has the potential of a good price. In certain times, demand for recycled materials such as cardboard may be high and so you could potentially make a profit.

Waste Baling and Your Recycling Policy

According to a report from November 2018, the majority of UK companies don’t have a recycling policy. As recycling continues to be involved in high profile government debates and the media, your business will benefit in many other ways apart from those already listed.

Let’s investigate;

• A strong recycling policy will set you apart from competitors, who are growing more concerned with their environmental impact. 
• Customers are more likely to purchase from you knowing your company is aware of the environment.
• You can create or enhance a marketing strategy by providing strong links with corporate social responsibility.

Now, you may be asking if balers do help the environment – the answer is ‘yes’. It’s estimated that 65% of cardboard waste is now being recycled each and every year. What if this was 75%? 85%? 100%? Increasing the percentage is certainly achievable, should more companies get involved and look into balers for cardboard. Ultimately, this means more waste is diverted from going to landfill, which is much better for the environment.

Choosing the Right Baler

Before making a decision, it’s important to do some research into the correct machine for specific requirements. What are the quantities of cardboard waste you’re currently dealing with and what’s the quality? It’s also good to consider whether or not the collection of bales will disrupt existing business operations and if so, how this can be minimised.

• Baler size: Consider the size and volume of cardboard. This will ultimately determine the correct baler for you.
• Machine space: Do you have enough space to comfortably accommodate a machine?
• Manpower: How much time can you spare for attending to the machine and how many people will be required for operation?

Let’s look at some specifics;

Small Vertical Balers: Perfect for baling cardboard where space is an issue. These slimline machines produce recyclable bales between 30 and 60kg whilst offering a nice low footprint. Variations on design depend on the nature of an industry and can be made bespoke.

Medium Vertical Balers: Suitable for larger retail outlets, medium machines will naturally handle more waste than the smaller options. Bales weigh between 200 and 300kg but remember, these have to be effectively stored somewhere prior to pickup.

Large Vertical Balers: Ideal for use within larger department stores, the manufacturing industry, warehouses and recycling centres, these machines are bigger in size and will handle huge amounts of cardboard waste. Offering a superior press force, bales weigh between 275 and 600kg.

If you’re still scratching your head about the model of baler you need, read our blog on the topic here.

It’s safe to say that baling cardboard holds many benefits and even pay for themselves. With government rules becoming more strict in terms of cross-contamination when recycling, a vertical baler is ideal. Companies save time, effort and money whilst enjoying the benefits of an additional revenue stream.

To explore just what sizes and specifications of baler are available on the market today, click the banner below to download our brochure. Inside, you’ll find the information that will help inform your waste management machinery choices. You can also find out about our compactor for cardboard options by getting in touch.