Management

Should Your Business Buy a Baler?

Cardboard Waste

Recycling cardboard and other waste has become a law in many countries, and businesses need to take proper action to minimize the time spent when dealing with such proceedings. Using an baler is a much more effective way to reduce a business' costs in terms of transportation and time. These balers can be quite expensive, though, so it is essential that you know everything about them before purchasing one for your business.

What it does

To put it as simple as possible, balers compress and pack material into smaller units to be taken to the nearest recycling centre. Companies that produce large amounts of cardboard and plastic should definitely consider using a multi chamber baler. The main advantage this type of baler brings to a business that produces a variety of waste is organization by type of material. You’ll need different recycling units if you are generating paper, plastic, cardboard and/or can waste. This is a more economically efficient way of going about the process.

Size considerations

Putting the actual cost of a baler aside, you also have to consider the amount of space it will take. Commercial property rates are on the rise, and every bit of business space needs to be used effectively. The size of the baler your business will buy will depend on the quantities of waste it is producing. For minimal amounts of waste that has surpassed manual efforts, consider looking at mini balers. Bigger, more commercial businesses that produce a lot of cardboard and plastic leftovers should look towards larger balers.

New or used?

The business budget is the most important consideration when buying a baler. The most common question companies ask themselves is whether to get a new or used baler? Well, that really depends. If budgets are tight, then businesses should go for a baler that is a 1-2 years old. They should also ask about how many bales have gone through it—there's no point trying to deal with depreciation with a useless piece of machinery. If you have a choice to pay for warranty, do so.

On the other hand, if your business has some room for increased budgets, then don't hesitate getting a new baler. These last longer, aren't worn out, and have lower maintenance costs. It is worth the short-term investment, too, as balers are easily sold second-hand.

At the end of the day, a business must consider compliance, cost and their customers. New government legislation has seen many companies covered with a legal obligation for proper waste disposal. This is not only in terms of recycling, but also reuse and energy recovery. Waste disposal costs are another consideration—they are on the rise and a business must protect its bottom line. A baler may seem like a large first cost, but it will benefit in the long-run. Lastly, your customers care about your company's environmental performance. Anyone would prefer that the product/service being offered is helping combat a much bigger environmental problem—we're all in it together.

If you have any questions, please ask below!