Have baler, will travel: portable metal logger/balers offer ease and versatility to small to medium-sized processors.

Portable logger/balers are gaining interest among operators of small to mid-size scrap companies who are considering adding a baler to their yards. Not only do these machines offer processors the ability to go where the work is-whether it's inside their own yards or at a customer's location--they can also free operators from the installation expenses associated with stationary machines and the permitting often required with those machines.

In addition to these benefits, often times when using logger/balers--whether portable or stationary--processors can charge more for their prepared metal and they can economize on their shipping charges: true bottom-line benefits.

Additionally, companies that have been operating auto flatteners are looking into logger/bales because, unlike flattened autos, logged autos are not subject to specific containment regulations during transport.

VERSATILITY. John Sacco, president of Sierra International Machinery LLC, Bakersfield, Calif., attributes the growing popularity of portable balers to the trend toward versatility at the scrap yard.

"Portable balers allow companies to maneuver where they want," he says. But he cautions that portable models are not always the right solution for all scrap companies. "Some stationary models are preferable when large tonnage is being produced," he says.

Doug Sebastian, executive vice president of Harris Press & Shear, Peachtree City, Ga., agrees. "Portable units are not high production machines." He says that if a yard does not require the mobility that a portable unit offers, stationary balers will offer higher production capacities and may make more sense.

Lisa Bresolin, vice president of Colmar Equipment, an Italian company whose U.S. headquarters are in Wheatfield, N.Y., says that it's a different situation for customers buying their first units. "They are normally small to medium-sized yards." The ability to move the baler to the scrap can help these companies generate more business, she says.

Kendig Kneen, president of Al-jon Inc., Ottumwa, Iowa, says that even if an operator is not a custom processor, or gypsy," who moves from site to site, processing cars, white goods and scrap, portable balers still offer flexibility.

"Even if they do process the majority of material on their sites, there are those times that material becomes available at a remote location that they want to be able to go out and get," he adds.

Sebastian says that if a company only occasionally moves outside its yard to process material, a transportable baler may be a good choice. These units have to be cribbed on site, which involves the perpendicular layout of cribs or timbers that help to support the baler.

In addition to enabling operators to go where the scrap is, portable logger/balers also offer other benefits and features, and scrap dealers should carefully consider their needs prior to purchasing a unit.

CONSIDERATIONS. When shopping for a portable logger/baler, scrap companies should consider the volume of scrap material to be produced, the needs of their local markets, their budgets and opportunities for future growth, Sacco suggests.

Scrap dealers should also consult the local laws in the areas where their equipment will be operated to ensure that they do not violate highway load limits when transporting the baler. "Make sure you have properly trained people to haul such equipment," Sacco adds.

Charlie Hall, president of Iron Ax Inc., Wadley, Ga., also suggests that scrap dealers consult with their states' Department of Transportation (DOT) prior to buying a portable baler. Because these machines might be considered "overweight" by DOT standards, Hall says axle weight and tire load rules apply.

Portable logger/balers may offer an advantage over stationary units in that they often do not require permitting.

"Portability also evades the necessity to go for permits," Kneen says. If a company cannot get a permit for a stationary baler, portable units allow a yard to process material without the legislative red tape associated with stationary units.

While portability may be beneficial, the ability to sell material directly to mills is the primary benefit that a baler adds to a scrap dealer's business.

"Our customers are converting loose material into a higher priced, more marketable product that they can send to the mill rather than to a shredder," Hall says.

To take full advantage of this opportunity, Kneen says scrap dealers must know the requirements of their end markets, which is often a question of bale density.

Today's portable balers often include variable pressure settings that allow the operator to make bales of variable densities according to customers' requirements.

In addition to maximizing a yard's pofitability by allowing it to sell directly to a mill, portable balers can also save a yard time and money in the area of installation.

ADVANTAGES. Suppliers say that in addition to being more versatile, portable balers offer easier installation because they do not require concrete foundations.

This also makes installation less expensive than that of stationary models. "Installation costs are zero," Bresolin says.

However, Sebastian cautions that what a company saves in installation costs, it may spend in higher operating costs. "Typically the portable balers will have a higher operating cost due to additional features such as a diesel engine, crane and possibly a trailer to maintain," he says.

In the end, however, portable baler operators still may come out ahead when resale value is taken into account.

Hall says that when a yard is ready to upgrade to a new baler, the resale value as a percentage of the investment is higher with portable units than with stationary balers. "The cost of reinstallation knocks down the resale price of a stationary baler."

Scrap dealers can also save money on transportation employing either stationary or portable logger/balers.

"The car logger allows customers to transport efficiently via flat-bed truck, dump trailer or rail. Transportation is more affordable and flexible, and loading and unloading is quicker," Kneen says. This is because logged vehicles are denser than crushed vehicles, helping recyclers acheive maximum payload.

Additionally, logged vehicles are not subject to the same cargo containment regulations governing crushed vehicles, which mandate that four-sided trailers or similar containment options must be used. However, general cargo securement rules do apply.

In light of these transportation advantages, Hall says that companies that have traditionally operated car flatteners are now looking to replace those units with portable logger/balers.

When the features of portable balers are considered, they can add up to a nice value for small to mid-sized scrap dealers who want to increase the value of their material and maximize profitability.

The author is managing editor of Recycling Today and can be contacted at [e-mail].