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The quick processing of materials generated at a demolition or other job sites is often accomplished with a portable baler.

In many industries, deadlines and schedules seem to have accelerated and the pace of business seems to have quickened. Demolition contractors have certainly noticed the difference, as construction contractors often seem to have their equipment on site before the demolition task is finished.

Despite the deadline pressures, demolition firms still want to stay involved in the recycling process, and portable baling units have helped them do this.

The machines are also used by scrap processors who call on auto dismantlers and salvage yards and compress car bodies on site to make them easier to transport.

While car flatteners and portable ferrous balers are a good deal smaller than fixed-site ferrous balers, they need to be just as sturdy. Even though keeping a machine light enough to be transported with fewer (or no) permits is ideal, durability may ultimately count for more in the eyes of scrap recyclers.

Ease of maintenance has also proven important to many auto dismantlers and scrap companies that like to perform the majority of their own maintenance and repair work.

And as with fixed site ferrous balers, routine maintenance can help reduce the likelihood of unplanned downtime.

Baler owners can rely not only on their own experiences to design maintenance routines, but can also accept the advice of the machine’s manufacturer. “The service manual tells customers what to check and over what period of time to check it,” notes Dwight Carter, engineering manager with Harris Waste Management Corp., Peachtree City, Ga.

With a little bit of care and caution, the life expectancy of these machines can reach remarkable lengths, considering the difficult tasks and harsh conditions to which they are exposed.