Vertical Balers
Vertical balers are widely used by businesses that need to deal with cardboard, paper or plastic waste in a straightforward, practical way. They’re common in warehouses, retail units, factories and hospitality sites where recyclable waste builds up steadily during the day and needs to be kept under control. At Landfill Alternatives, we supply vertical balers on both a sale and lease basis. For many sites, using a baler means fewer collections, less loose waste on site and far less reliance on bins or skips that fill up quickly.
Get Expert Advice
Arrange a Callback with an Expert
If you need to compact cardboard, paper or plastic on site, we can help you choose a vertical baler that fits your space and how waste is handled day to day.
Recycling Vertical Balers
Vertical balers are hand-fed machines that compacts recyclable material into bales that are easier to store and move. Bale weights vary depending on the machine and the material being baled, starting at around 50kg on smaller models and running up to mill-size bales weighing around 500-600kg.
You may also hear vertical balers referred to as upright balers or vertical cardboard balers. The name tends to change depending on what’s being baled, but the machines work in much the same way.
Material is loaded through a top door and compacted using a hydraulic ram. This is repeated until the chamber is full and a bale is formed. The bale is then tied off using plastic strapping or baler wire before being removed, either by hand, with a trolley or using a semi-automatic eject system, depending on the model.
In practice, vertical balers are mainly used for cardboard, paper and plastic packaging, including shrink wrap and lighter materials that build up during day-to-day operations.
Because they’re simple to use and don’t rely on conveyors or continuous feeding, vertical balers suit sites where waste is added in smaller amounts rather than all at once.
All vertical balers we supply meet relevant UK and CE safety requirements.
Not Sure If You Need a Vertical or Horizontal Baler?
One of the main reasons businesses choose a vertical baler is space. These machines have a relatively small footprint and can usually be installed where floor space is limited.
Vertical balers are generally used where waste is produced steadily through the day, rather than in very high volumes.
Horizontal balers are built for a different type of operation. They’re designed for higher throughputs and continuous feeding, making them better suited to larger sites such as distribution centres or manufacturing plants handling bulk volumes of cardboard or plastic.
If waste volumes are moderate and space is tight, a vertical baler is usually the sensible starting point. Where volumes are much higher and automation is needed, a horizontal baler is often the better fit.
If you’re not sure which type of baler suits your operation, we’re happy to talk it through and point you in the right direction based on how your site actually runs.
Vertical balers are often supplied alongside baler strapping, baler wire and other recycling consumables to match the size of the machine and the materials being baled.
We supply vertical balers to businesses across the UK.
Arrange Free Audit
Get a zero obligation, onsite waste audit to identify potential savings, optimise efficiency and cut costs.