This Y82-25 vertical baler was supplied to a customer in Colombia who collects and prepares cardboard, plastic packaging, and other recyclable materials.

Unlike a large recycling plant requiring a fully automated processing line, this customer needed a compact and practical machine that could be installed in an existing recycling facility. The equipment also had to offer manageable investment, simple operation, and sufficient flexibility for different lightweight recyclable materials.

Recyclable collection and recovery in Colombia depend heavily on recycling organizations and frontline waste pickers. According to Colombian public data, approximately 2.4 million tonnes of recoverable waste were reported in 2023, supported by more than 74,000 registered waste pickers. Paper, cardboard, and plastic remain important materials within this recovery network.

For a small or medium-sized recycling station, the main challenge is often not obtaining recyclable material. The more immediate operational problems are:

1. Loose cardboard and plastic occupy excessive storage space.
2. Low-density material results in poor truck utilization and frequent transportation.

Based on the customer’s processing scale and site conditions, we recommended the Y82-25 hydraulic vertical baler to compress and bind cardboard and plastic into manageable bales.

The customer collected cardboard from shops, warehouses, logistics packaging, and other commercial sources.

Although cardboard is relatively light, it occupies a large volume when stored loose. Without compression, the material can quickly fill the warehouse and loading area.

For a recycling station with limited space, loose cardboard may cause several practical problems:

• Incoming material cannot be unloaded efficiently
• Workers must move the same material several times
• Storage and working aisles become blocked
• Moisture may affect the quality of exposed cardboard
• Collection vehicles must be dispatched more frequently

The customer therefore needed a machine that could reduce material volume without requiring complicated foundations or large loading equipment.

The Y82-25 uses a vertical structure with an overall machine size of approximately:

1780 × 970 × 3200 mm

Compared with a horizontal automatic baling line, its footprint is smaller and more suitable for recycling stations, warehouses, and collection centers with limited floor space.

The chamber size is:

1080 × 700 × 1300 mm

This chamber provides sufficient loading space for folded cardboard, cartons, and common packaging materials.

The finished bale size is:

1080 × 700 × 300–850 mm

The adjustable bale height allows the customer to control the final bale according to material density, handling method, and available truck space.

In addition to cardboard, the customer also handled a certain amount of plastic packaging.

Cardboard and plastic behave differently during compression. They have different densities, rebound characteristics, and achievable bale weights.

If the pressing force is too low, compressed plastic may expand after the pressure is released, resulting in loose bales. If the machine is unnecessarily large, the customer faces higher purchase cost, power requirements, and maintenance expenses.

The customer therefore needed one practical machine for regular cardboard processing, with the flexibility to handle selected plastic materials without purchasing separate equipment for every waste stream.

The maximum pressing force of the Y82-25 is:

250 kN, approximately 25 tonnes

For small and medium-scale cardboard, plastic film, and common packaging waste, this force provides a practical balance between bale formation, machine cost, and operating power.

The machine is equipped with:

7.5 kW electric motor
16 MPa system working pressure
1000 mm cylinder stroke

Compared with a larger industrial baler, the 7.5 kW installed power is more suitable for customers with moderate processing volumes who also need to control electricity consumption.

The electrical system for this project was prepared according to the customer’s local power conditions. Colombia’s national electricity system operates at a standard frequency of 60 Hz. Therefore, motors and electrical components for equipment exported to Colombia must be confirmed according to the customer’s actual supply instead of automatically applying a common 50 Hz configuration.

Before production, our engineers confirm:

• Operating voltage
• Number of phases
• Frequency
• Available electrical capacity
• Cable and connection requirements

This helps prevent motor-speed, control-system, or electrical-component incompatibility after the machine arrives.

The stated bale weight of 100–300 kg is a reference range. It does not mean that every material will produce the same bale weight.

Cardboard, plastic film, PET bottles, and other packaging materials have different bulk densities. Actual bale weight is also affected by:

• Material type
• Moisture content
• Feeding density
• Number of compression cycles
• Bale height
• Operator practice

For this reason, we do not promise a fixed bale weight based only on machine pressing force. We evaluate the actual customer material before providing a realistic reference.

The customer needed to solve storage and transportation problems rather than install a large automated production line. The Y82-25 avoided unnecessary overconfiguration and kept the initial investment under control.

The machine is suitable for recycling stations, warehouses, logistics centers, retail backrooms, and material collection points where floor space is limited.

In addition to cardboard, the machine can process selected plastic film, packaging plastic, and other lightweight recyclable materials after the material characteristics are confirmed.

The customer can adjust bale height according to truck space, manual handling conditions, and downstream buyer requirements instead of producing only one fixed bale size.

For a recycling station with a limited number of workers, a stable hydraulic system is easier to operate and maintain than a complex fully automatic line.

WANSHIDA has approximately 40 years of experience in manufacturing hydraulic recycling equipment.

Our factory and engineering team provide both standard models and customized configurations based on the customer’s actual operating conditions.

For the Colombia project, our work focused on the following areas:

The motor and electrical components were configured according to the customer’s confirmed voltage, phase, and 60 Hz frequency.

We reviewed the customer’s cardboard and plastic materials to determine a practical bale size and reference weight.

Machine height, entrance dimensions, transportation, unloading, and installation conditions were checked before production.

Operating instructions, maintenance guidance, and remote technical assistance are available to support commissioning and routine service.

Our production and quality management system is certified to ISO 9001, and equipment can be supplied with a CE-compliant configuration according to export requirements.

For different markets, we confirm the final electrical and safety configuration according to local requirements rather than simply supplying an unchanged domestic machine.

Customers planning to purchase a vertical baler should provide the following information during the quotation stage:

1. Whether the main material is cardboard, plastic film, plastic bottles, or mixed recyclables
2. Expected hourly or daily processing volume
3. Required bale weight and dimensions
4. Whether the machine will be loaded manually
5. Available building height and entrance dimensions
6. Actual voltage, phase, and frequency
7. Whether finished bales will be moved manually, by pallet truck, or by forklift

This information allows the engineering team to determine whether a 25-ton baler is suitable or whether a larger pressing force or higher automation level is required.

The objective of this Colombia project was not to supply the largest possible baler. It was to solve two immediate business problems with an appropriately sized machine: excessive storage space occupied by loose cardboard and plastic, and inefficient use of transportation capacity.

With its 25-ton pressing force, adjustable bale height, 7.5 kW motor, and compact vertical design, the Y82-25 offered a practical, maintainable, and investment-conscious solution for small and medium-scale cardboard and plastic recycling.

Our equipment recommendations are not based only on the name of the material. We evaluate material density, daily throughput, local power supply, handling method, site limitations, and downstream requirements so that the final machine configuration supports the customer’s real operation.