Drum Crushers

What Is a Drum Crusher?

Drum crushers are sometimes referred to as drum compactors, barrel crushers or steel drum crushers. In all cases, they describe machines designed to flatten empty drums so they take up far less space during storage and disposal.

These machines are built specifically for industrial use and are designed to handle standard steel drums once contents have been fully emptied.

How Drum Crushers Are Used

Drum crushers apply high crushing force to collapse steel drums into a flattened form. Once crushed, drums can be stacked, stored or removed from site far more efficiently than whole drums.

They’re commonly used in environments where drums are generated regularly, such as manufacturing plants, engineering workshops, automotive facilities, chemical handling areas and industrial service environments.

Crushed drums are easier to manage, safer to move and significantly reduce the space needed for storage prior to collection.

Common Drums Suitable for Crushing

Drum crushers are typically used for:

• 205-litre steel drums
• Empty oil drums
• Lubricant and coolant drums
• Chemical drums (once emptied and cleaned as required)
• Paint and coating drums
• Process and production drums used in industrial settings

All drums must be fully emptied and prepared in line with site procedures before crushing.

ATEX Drum Crusher Options

On sites where flammable vapours, solvents or explosive atmospheres may be present, ATEX-rated drum crushers may be required.

ATEX drum crushers are designed for use in hazardous environments and typically feature:

• ATEX-certified components
• Explosion-protected electrics or pneumatics
• Construction suited to environments where volatile residues may be present

These machines are commonly specified in chemical processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, paint production and other controlled industrial environments.

ATEX suitability depends on the site’s zoning, the substances involved and how drums are handled before crushing, so specification should always be confirmed before selection.

Drum Crushers vs Other Compaction Equipment

Drum crushers are designed specifically for heavy, rigid containers.

They are not a replacement for:

• Can crushers, which are suited to aluminium cans and light-gauge tins
• Aerosol can crushers, which are required for pressurised containers
• Waste compactors, which handle loose general or residual waste
• Balers, which are used for recyclable materials such as cardboard and plastic

Where drums form part of a wider waste stream, drum crushers are often installed alongside other equipment rather than used as a standalone solution.

Choosing the Right Drum Crusher

Choosing the right drum crusher usually comes down to what’s being crushed and how the site operates. The size and construction of the drums matter, as does whether the crusher will be used in a standard industrial environment or an area where ATEX compliance is required.

Some sites are dealing with occasional empty drums, others are processing them daily. That difference often dictates the type of machine and specification needed.

Hire or Purchase

Drum crushers can be supplied on either a purchase or lease basis.

Leasing is often used to keep upfront spend down while still solving an immediate problem on site – particularly where drum storage, handling or disposal costs are already causing issues. In many cases, the reduction in collections and space taken up by empty drums offsets the hire cost straight away.

Purchase is more common where capital has already been signed off and the crusher will be used as part of a long-term waste handling setup.

Drum Crushers Supplied Across the UK

We supply drum crushers to sites across England, Scotland and Wales, arranging delivery to suit access and site layout.

Drum crushers are often supplied alongside other waste handling equipment such as compactors, balers or can crushers, helping sites manage multiple waste streams safely and efficiently.

If you’re dealing with steel drums on site and want to confirm whether a standard or ATEX-rated drum crusher is required, we can review how drums are handled and advise accordingly.