Equipment Report

Marathon Equipment Co., Vernon, Ala., has launched a new recycling systems business segment known as NexGen® Baling Systems. The new product line, which debuted in the first quarter of 2004, features horizontal balers and incorporates ancillary products manufactured by Marathon, including conveyors.

The company cites technology and innovation as the driving forces behind what it describes as "the next generation of superior horizontal balers." Marathon says it has assembled a focused team of expert engineers, manufacturing specialists, a dedicated sales force, trained field service representatives and a research and development group to work together on NexGen.

"The team we have put together is completely dedicated to making our recycling systems the best in the industry," says Mitch Covington, vice-president of NexGen Baling Systems. "NexGen is technology driven, and we’ll be introducing some of the most innovative features in the last 30 years."

More information on NexGen Baling Systems is available at www.NexGenbalers.com.

Global Partners Alliance LLC, headquartered in Bettendorf, Iowa, has signed an agreement with the German foundry SWB Stahlformguss to become its exclusive North American sales agency.

SWB says its the only manufacturer of differentially hardened alloy hammers.

Patrick Comparin, former general manager of Newell Riverside Shredders, is a principal in Global Partners."I am very excited about the opportunity to bring this world-class product into the North American marketplace," he says. "Because our hammers are guaranteed to last longer, we charge a premium for them . . . but we know they are worth the price."

"This facility represents an investment in the newest, state-of-the-art processing technology," Metropolitan Paper Recycling founder and CEO Greg Bianco said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for his new Brooklyn, N.Y., plant this winter.

"It provides Metropolitan with the capacity to serve our customers well into the future and supply our paper mill consumers with high quality furnish to fill their fiber needs," Bianco said.

The plant features a high-volume Conquest baler from IPS Balers Inc., Baxley, Ga., and a sorting system designed by Sherbrooke OEM of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. The system features a disc-screen to perform the primary sort of OCC and mixed paper, plus dual sorting lines.

Bianco says Sherbrooke and IPS have exceeded their commitments, as the system consistently produces roughly 30 percent more than it was engineered for.

Vecoplan LLC, High Point, N.C., has launched a new line of paper shredders designed specifically for medium-to-high volume, plant-based document destruction.

The "P" series paper shredders are available in several models and are designed to shred from 200 pounds an hour at the smaller end to 40 tons per hour for the largest model.

The ReTech single-shaft series by Vecoplan use a positive-feed ram that advances material into a low-rpm, high-torque cutting rotor that produces particles of a cross-shred consistency. Screened output allows checks, credit cards and some products to be shredded from a 3/8-inch to 2-inch consistency.

Vecoplan COO Len Beusse says, "The reception of this new product has been overwhelming. The document destruction service industry has proliferated to a point that a new, more efficient shredding technology is a sorely needed breath of fresh air. Our shredding concept has opened up many new doors for our customers. This segment is so vibrant, Vecoplan will soon be unveiling its mobile document destruction vehicles."

Sweed Machinery Inc., Gold Hill, Ore., now has alligator shears available in many models to for its scrap processing customers.

"These shears can handle all types of mild steel, bar, wire and cable, various metal products, plates and tubes," the company notes in a news release.

The company touts its Sweed/Ramjet alligator shears as "simple to operate and easy to maintain, utilizing two adjustable blades which are designed to be reground to sustain their sharpness."

Those interested in more information on the alligator shear line can visit www.sweed.com.