Buying the Right Baler

The world is full of balers it seems. There are 61 brands of balers that you can choose from in the United States alone. In addition, many brands have numerous models. American Baler, in fact, has over 308 models of auto-tie balers (thanks to the many custom variations we offer each customer).

There's also the challenge of finding the right baler manufacturer. Each year a half dozen or so baler companies go out of business — and another half dozen or so seem to magically replace them. There are usually three key reasons why baler companies fail: 1) inadequate baling performance, 2) poor baler design/construction (leading to breakdowns), and 3) inadequate service and parts support.

It might be safe to assume that you don't buy balers every other week — so it could be a bit confusing given all these choices when it comes to buying the right baler for your operation. We believe in helping our customers understand all the "issues" of baler operation and ownership. To help get you started on the right path, use the following guidelines when weighing the possibilities of both baler manufacturer and baler model.

When selecting a manufacturer:

1. Company reputation
1. How long have they been in business?
2. Do they have engineers on staff?
3. Can they provide installation references near your area?
2. Parts and Service
1. How are parts ordered?
2. How long does it take to get most parts?
3. How much ($ value) is held in inventory?
4. Do their reps/dealers provide any service?
3. Technical support
1. How many service technicians are available in the field?
2. How is phone support handled? By whom?
3. What kind of manuals do you get with the equipment?
4. Is there a toll-free number for support? 24 hours a day?
4. Dealer support
1. How many representatives or dealers are on board?
2. What's the average rep tenure? (ask for 2-3 older references)
3. What kind of training do their reps/dealers receive?

When selecting the right baler model:

1. Hopper size
1. Must handle your largest size of materials.
2. Consider feed options (conveyor, hand, air feed, etc).
2. Displacement
1. Maximum peak volume(tons per hr) should be considered.
2. Storage space available in charge area.
3. Density vs. Shipping
1. A denser bale saves on wire consumption (a key operating cost).
2. Denser bales save on shipping (shipping cost is based on volume and distance).
3. Denser bales will require less space — reducing storage costs.
4. Energy saving features
1. Use of dual intermittent motors can reduce power consumption.
2. Adequately sized motors and hydraulics will take less energy to achieve peak performance.
5. Wire tying
1. Consider auto-tie models to handle larger volumes.
2. 2-3 bales a day may be better suited to manual wire feeding.
3. Short pigtails (tie off) will reduce wire consumption.
4. Consider ease of access and replacement of wire spools.
6. Extrusion chamber
1. Is the material to be baled slick, coated or wax impregnated?
2. Does the baler have a slick material tension control standard?
7. Operator controls
1. Will your staff be able to operate safely?
2. Are controls automated and/or easy to understand?
8. Safety
1. Are there "sensors" used to safeguard employees from accidents?
2. Is the unit UL approved?
3. Does it meet ANSI Standards?

Use this guideline as part of your baler selection checklist when comparing the many choices available to you in both manufacturing firms and baler models. A good rep or manufacture will work hard to help you understand all the "issues" that relate to baler performance and operating costs. As you can see from our suggested checklist, the decision really involves a lot more than just the price tag of the baler. Operator safety, wire and energy consumption, bale density, parts and service — they all have an impact on your long-term investment.