READY TO RECYCLE
A Harris/IPS and Olympic Equipment two-ram baler is helping rePlanet keep
California’s beverage containers in the recycling loop.
California has a deposit and redemption system designed to ensure its plastic and aluminum beverage containers are placed into the recycling loop rather than being landfilled. Among the companies helping Californians recycle those bottles and cans is rePlanet, which has recently received a productivity assist from Harris/IPS Balers.
At its Rancho Cucamonga, California, recycling center, rePlanet has been using a Harris/IPS two-ram baler in a system installed and maintained by Olympic Wire and Equipment to compress the steady stream of aluminum cans and PET and HDPE bottles that flow into the facility. The containers arrive from throughout Southern California, where rePlanet says it has built the largest recycling collection network in the country and partnered with every major grocery chain to make sure a recycling location is always nearby.
Shawn Vanderwalker, operations manager at the rePlanet Rancho Cucamonga facility, lists several reasons why the Harris/IPS unit stands out from some of its competitors. "The Pre-Compression LidTM, bale door relief system, eight-pump hydraulic system and user-friendly control panel with Ethernet remote access capabilities all provided reasons for the purchase, as did the spec sheet stating the unit’s tons per hour," he comments.
The Harris/IPS Pre-Compression Lid, designed to reduce baler jams, also translates to optimum performance in the form of a baler that produces superior production
issue to date and machine is going strong," he states.
rates over extended periods of time. The feature also helps maximize bale density to minimize transportation costs, maintenance hours and downtime. Vanderwalker says another characteristic praised by his colleagues is its ease of use. "The touchscreen control panel has a feature that provides information on the bales made and an option to program idle time when necessary," he notes. "The machine basically runs itself and needs only a loader operator to continually feed the conveyor," he adds. Since arriving at the rePlanet facility, the Harris/IPS two-ram baler has been a reliable workhorse, says Vanderwalker. "We currently run two shifts at eight hours per day five days each week, plus the remaining two days we are running one eight-hour shift," says Vanderwalker, describing the Harris/IPS baler’s 96-hour work week. The company has achieved throughputs of up to 11 tons per hour on its Harris/IPS and Olympic Wire system. rePlanet has every intention of continuing to help Californians recycle every bottle and can, and the Harris/ IPS two-ram baler in Rancho Cucamonga will be a key component of its strategy. "The baler has performed as expected to this point and we have been pleased with its throughput," says Vanderwalker. "As far as reliability there has been no
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