Suppliers of grinding equipment are important partners for the pallet industry and its related industries, such as sawmills and lumber remanufacturing. Pallet manufacturers, recyclers and related businesses generate large volumes of residual wood material. They are faced with the challenge of disposing of the material or processing it into a marketable product that will help improve a company’s bottom line.
On the following pages, we present information about advertisers that supply grinding equipment to the pallet industry: Astec, Bandit Industries, Boulware Equipment, Cresswood, CW Mill Equipment Inc., Morbark, Precision Husky, Rawlings Specialty, Rotochopper, Recycling Equipment of NC, and Vecoplan.
Choosing a grinder will depend on a number of factors related to a company’s particular application. One of the foremost questions is: What do you need to reduce? Is it hardwood or softwood? What species? Is it in the form of slabs, edgings and other residual materials from a sawmill or scragg mill? Is it trim ends from cants and lumber remanufacturing operations? Is it scrap material from recycling pallets, such as dismantling pallets to reclaim usable lumber? Do you need to grind whole scrap or junk pallets? Or do you need to reduce some combination of these materials?
The type of grinder you need for your application will also depend on the volume of material that must be reduced. How much material do you need to grind? Is the volume likely to change in the future? If so, when, and by how much?
Still another consideration will be the desired end product and potential markets for the wood fiber. Will the grindings be supplied to various outlets for further processing, or do you plan to produce a finished, value-added product, such as colored mulch? What are your potential markets for wood grinding, boiler fuel and bedding material for livestock? What about mills that manufacture particle board or other wood products? Are you considering grinding material used as a ground covering for playgrounds? Mulch? Colored mulch? Talk to potential customers in these markets and find out what their requirements are and what they pay for wood fiber.
If a company is considering a grinder for scrap lumber or scrap pallets from pallet recycling operations, nails and nail fragments will need to be separated.
If you plan to produce a finished product, such as mulch or colored mulch, will the operations require any ancillary equipment, such as screens or coloring systems?
Although the cost of the machine is undoubtedly important, so are the operating costs. Because of the tough job they do, grinders typically require regular maintenance. Weigh the maintenance costs.
Are you considering an electric-powered machine or one that burns diesel fuel?
What is going to be the most efficient, cost-effective way to collect or divert residual material to the grinder? Will you need a conveyor belt or a vibrating conveyor? Will you be collecting material into hoppers and using a forklift to dump the contents into the grinder in batches?
Finally, where will your grinder be located? Where and how are the grindings going to be handled and stored? Will they be stockpiled on a concrete slab, pneumatically loaded into a storage silo or loaded directly into a waiting trailer van?
Consider the following suppliers when you evaluate your options for investing in grinding equipment.
Astec Industries
Eugene, Oregon
(541) 689-6520
Astec Offers Grinders, Drum Chippers
Astec entered the forestry industry with its acquisition of Peterson Pacific in 2007. Since then, Astec has continued to grow the forestry equipment product lines, manufacturing complete industry-leading systems, including horizontal grinders, disc and drum chippers, debarkers, and blower trucks and trailers. Peterson Pacific rebranded last year to align with its parent company, Astec.
Horizontal grinders and drum chippers are two of the top forestry machines produced by Astec. They are offered in various sizes and capacities. Useful for land clearing, organic and wood waste recycling, mulch production and biomass production, these heavy-duty machines come in both mobile and portable options.
Astec chippers can be used for producing biomass from logs and other wood material as well as for other forestry-related applications, such as processing residual materials from sawmills and other wood products manufacturing facilities, salvage timber operations, plantation tree rotation, and producing pulp and paper industry chips.
Astec horizontal grinders can also be used to recycle scrap pallets, used railroad ties, wood material from land-clearing operations, and similar wood debris, processing it into revenue-generating products while at the same time diverting the material from landfills.
Astec grinders and chippers have the advantage of an impact release system and an impact cushion system. These features protect the machine by removing contaminated or uncrushable material that could otherwise cause damage and allow for non-stop grinding, decreasing downtime. The impact release system technology is unique to Astec equipment, saving producers time and money.
Bandit Industries
Remus, Michigan
(800) 952-0178
Bandit Beast Makes Mulch in One Pass
Bandit has manufactured equipment for a multitude of wood waste processing markets since 1983. Its vision since the beginning has been to build quality, highly productive, easily maintained equipment that provides years of dependable service.
The commitment to quality, innovation and dedication is instilled in every employee and is one of the main reasons why Bandit became an employee-owned company (ESOP) in 2018. These core values ensure each Bandit machine will leave the factory ready to exceed the customer’s expectations.
Bandit’s line of Beast horizontal grinders is known for its versatility. A variety of rubber tire and track models are available, ranging from 14 inches to 45 inches in capacity. These units efficiently process waste wood.
The heart of each Beast Recycler is the patented cutter mill that cuts wood, as opposed to the beating action of some grinders. This process is best compared to an axe and a sledgehammer. Which would you prefer to use to cut down a tree?
A wide variety of cutting teeth are available to effectively process a diverse range of material. These teeth are either 1 or 2 inches wide, depending on the mill size. Most models are available with a “fan”-style tooth that aids in pushing material through the screen, increasing production while reducing wear on the cutter body. Bandit recommends using at least half fan- style teeth on the models on which these are available.
Screens and gates help achieve the desired end product size. Available hole sizes range from 5/8-inch to 7 inches.
A chipper drum option is available on select models, turning the grinder into a whole tree chipper with the capability to produce a dimensional chip ranging from 5/8-inch up to 2 inches. Depending on the chip size needed, a 4 or 8 knife drum will be used. For those wanting a smaller chip in the1/4-inch size range, a 20-knife drum is also available.
Bandit offers an optional coloring system to produce colored mulch. It features a coloring spray bar mounted above the mill, making it easier to inject colorant and spread it evenly. The Bandit coloring system uses minimal amounts of colorant and water, reducing operating costs while increasing profitability.
To learn more about Bandit equipment or to schedule a demonstration, contact a local authorized Bandit dealer or visit www.banditchippers.com.
Boulware Equipment
Newton, North Carolina
(704) 651-6061
Boulware Equipment Provides Turnkey Solutions
Boulware Equipment is 100% committed to repurposing and merchandising wood pallet trash. Designed with the end use of your particular type of wood scrap in mind, Boulware will develop a customized solution by considering species, size, color, moisture content, and local repurposing options.
Like a wood pallet, converted wood fiber has logistical limitations. You can only transport wood fiber so far before it loses economic benefit.
Focused on size reduction, Boulware’s systems are designed with new and rebuilt Cresswood quality shredders. These systems have the flexibility to convert pallet wood trash into sizes suitable to meet their local customers’ needs.
Providing full turnkey solutions is Boulware’s proven formula to keep customers happy. These solutions integrate reclaiming of scrap, conversion of the wood pallet trash to the desired wood fiber product, delivery/transport at the lowest cost, and assisting clients in finding a buyer (and a back-up buyer) for their converted wood scrap. Boulware’s approach allows customers to make one call to get the answer to their wood trash challenges.
Boulware solutions are sustainable and reduce the carbon footprint for customers. This makes Boulware installations more valuable to customers as companies look for vendors to reduce landfill waste and environmental impact.
Call Boulware and learn how they can develop a customized solution that seamlessly integrates with your production layout and boosts your profit.
Cresswood Shredding Machinery
Cortland, Illinois
(800) 962-7302
Cresswood XR-2400 Features New Technology
The Cresswood XR-2400 pallet grinder is the largest grinder that Cresswood has ever manufactured.
This grinder allows pallet companies to increase their output volumes to a new level in low-speed, high-torque grinding. Mulch manufacturers, pellet producers and biofuel businesses benefit from the high throughput capabilities of this machine and its ability to be nested indoors due to less noise and dust. Another key feature is the XR-2400’s lower energy cost when compared to other technologies.
Cresswood is dedicated to its ever-new technology approach and committed to continuous improvement through expert engineering and precision manufacturing.
The Cresswood XR-2400 features:
–Hydraulic drop-down screen carriages that provide safe, easy access to the cutterhead
–Oversized ram to more effectively present material to the cutterhead
–Extreme oversized gearbox built for the toughest conditions
–Replaceable anvils and anvil support plates
–Replaceable wear seals on the cutterhead
–Replaceable bed plate
Other features include: single source and American-made manufacturing; all key wear items are replaceable; 1-inch steel plate frame; 30,000 lbs. shipping weight.
These features, along with precision manufacturing, expert engineering, and dedication to customers, ensure that the XR-2400 will thrive in one of the toughest grinding environments: the pallet industry.
Contact Cresswood for more information as you get started on your next grinder project.
CW Mill Equipment Co. Inc.
Sabetha, Kansas
(800) 743-3491
HogZilla Grinders Are Versatile
CW Mill Equipment Co., Inc. is a diversified manufacturing, sales and service company. Products include large industrial grinding machines and high-performance hammer mill cutting and grinding tools.
The versatility of its line of HogZilla grinders has been demonstrated across the decades. The machines have been used in waste reduction, recycling, land clearing, and construction and demolition applications.
CW Mill Equipment manufactures both tub grinders and horizontal grinders, including both types of machines that are mounted on tracks to be self-propelled. Tub grinders are available as diesel-powered or electric models.
The TC series of HogZilla grinders takes its name from the torque converter drive. It allows the engine to perform at peak efficiency with multiplied torque. Because of the converter, governed speed is maintained irrespective of the load. Torque converters allow the engine to avoid lugging and needless racing while also protecting the engine from shock and loads from torsion. The strength and reliability of industrial torque converters was proven decades ago in the rock crushing industry, and CW Mill pioneered and perfected their use in tub grinders.
The TC series of HogZilla grinders comes standard with a Caterpillar C32 1,000 hp diesel engine. Other standard features include an electronic horsepower controller, remote control, stacking conveyor, vulcanized conveyor belts, auxiliary hydraulic power, a hydraulic rod puller, and more. Options include deflectors and restraints, rigid and swing hammer variations, a mulch coloring system, a fire suppression system, and more.
CW Mill Equipment recognized early on that the dirt and contaminants swirling around posed a potential problem for engine efficiency. To compensate for the dirt and dust in grinding operations, CW Mill installed the biggest possible radiator pre-cleaner. It also arranged the engine intake air duct so that it captured the cleanest and coolest air available.
Precision Husky
Moody, Alabama
(205) 640-5181
Precision Husky Machines Do Double Duty
Precision Husky manufactures machines and equipment for the forest products industry, including chippers, drum chippers, whole tree chippers, horizontal grinders and tub grinders.
Founded in 1964, Precision Husky designs and builds tough, durable machines that offer high volume production at low cost per ton.
Precision Husky’s fuel-efficient, low maintenance, and low-noise grinders are used around the world to process wood material into mulch, compost and boiler fuel.
The company’s ProGrind line of high-speed horizontal grinders features a down-cut design, which allows the hammermill to be switched out for a two or four knife chipper drum. One machine can do both: grind or chip. The dual cutting surfaces at various depths eliminate jams. Each model is remotely controlled and comes with a rugged diesel engine ranging from 520-1,050 hp and a steel infeed belt. All models can be track or trailer mounted.
The H-4060 is the largest model in the ProGrind series of horizontal grinders. It has a 40-inch cutting capacity and a 60-inch-wide infeed. The raised feed wheel locks in place with hydraulically operated safety pins for ease of maintenance.
Rawlings Wood Hogs
Missoula, Montana
(866) 762-9327
Rawlings’ Specialty Is Stationary Electric Grinders
The Rawlings family business began as a small sawmill construction and consulting company in 1976. In 1980, Cliff Rawlings developed the Rawlings solid rotary wood hog. It used a system of solid rotors that efficiently reduced tough cedar bark.
Since then, the family-owned and operated company has manufactured and marketed several product lines, including a complete line of horizontal and vertical grinders in a variety of sizes, powered by diesel or electric.
Rawlings Wood Hogs specializes in custom industrial-sized electric stationary wood grinding systems designed around the customer’s specific needs. No customer or project is exactly the same; each has its own unique challenges. With 45 years of experience in the wood grinding industry, Rawlings has the knowledge and expertise to design the system to fit a customer’s processing needs and budget.
Rawlings wood hogs are available in seven sizes, in both vertical and horizontal models to fit any application – from simple stand-alone vertical grinders to complete multi-dimensional horizontal grinding systems. As a proven leader in size reduction equipment, Rawlings assists customers in utilizing renewable resources while reducing and recycling a wide variety of wood waste into valuable wood fiber products. Each vertical wood grinder can be designed with work platform decks, a choice of belt, chain or vibrating in-feed and out-feed conveyors, metal or magnet protection, product screening and separation, receiving transfers and walking floor storage bins – all customizable for a specific operation.
Machines are designed with rock crusher technology to be extremely tolerant of contaminants, rocks and metal without catastrophic maintenance costs if metal enters the grinding chamber. The Safety Swing Away Anvil triggers the shear pin to shear, allowing the anvil and grate to open if excessive shock loads or ungrindables are encountered, immediately turning off the power to the hog. Patented Rocwear™ striker plates and striker tips are easily replaceable when worn and provide tremendous wear life with superior grinding performance.
Recycling Equipment
Newton, North Carolina
(888) 734-3783
Recycling Equipment Offers ‘Dump and Run’ Grinding
Recycling Equipment has been an industry leader since 1994, providing customers with cutting edge technology to meet their waste and recycling challenges and helping them turn their commercial waste into revenue. It produces equipment that drives a measurable difference in safety, economics, the environment and energy consumption while continuing to offer superior performance and durability.
Recycling Equipment, with locations in North Carolina and Texas, offers financing, installation, and equipment service. Its equipment and systems are operating throughout the U.S., Canada, South America, Europe, and Africa.
The company offers shredders and grinders for reducing wood and other material as well as balers, roll cutters, sorting systems and conveyors and tippers, and air conveyor and dust collection systems.
Recycling Equipment engineers, designs, manufactures and supports a series of “dump and run” industrial shredders and grinders for the most demanding material size reduction applications, including scrap wood material and wood pallets. They enable customers to dump large quantities of scrap into the charge chamber at one time and go away.
Recycling Equipment shredders and grinders offer a superior design, PLC controls, high energy efficiency motors, easy maintenance and a preventive maintenance program that is backed by a service repair team.
Rotochopper
St. Martin, Minnesota
(320) 548-3586
Rotochopper Offers Wide Variety of Equipment for Waste Processing
Rotochopper designs, builds and supports a complete lineup of horizontal grinders, wood chip processors, asphalt shingle grinders, mobile bagging systems and a variety of supporting equipment, including shredders, screening equipment and conveyors.
The company’s approach began with the idea that waste processing equipment should do more than simply reduce the volume of waste heading to landfills or generate low-grade finished products. It was a philosophy that grinding equipment should deliver practical, profitable solutions. Rotochopper has been manufacturing equipment to produce high-quality commodities like landscape mulch, boiler fuel and animal bedding for more than 30 years.
Rotochopper grinding equipment transforms raw materials like pallet scrap, sawmill residuals, sorted construction and demolition debris, and forestry slash into premium wood fiber products such as color-enhanced landscape mulch, animal bedding, biomass fuel, and compost.
Rotochopper diesel grinders are perfect for operators who need mobility or the ability to tackle custom grinding jobs, while electric models suit stationary operations with access to three-phase power. Whether diesel or electric is right for your operation, Rotochopper grinders will deliver superior size consistency and efficiency. Rotochopper diesel and electric horizontal grinders produce the required particle size, texture, and even color. Rotochopper offers several models of diesel and electric grinders ranging from 275 to 1,200 hp with a variety of options to suit various applications.
With maximum output and full mobility, Rotochopper’s DK series shredders offer both efficiency and effectiveness. The twin-rotor cutting system minimizes the cost of converting abrasive materials and those with metal contaminants into valuable commodities, like biomass fuel, compost, and mulch, making them even more profitable for your operation’s revenue stream.
Rotochopper screening machines, the MT series trommel screens and TS series deck screeners, are designed to provide the most effective way to sort material and meet size requirements. The unique range of screening equipment can sort, grade, and separate materials into different sizes and grades for post-processing or disposal, allowing a business to utilize its waste products even more efficiently.
Rotochopper offers conveyor systems that drive down the costs of an entire operation. Conveyors, like the radial stacking conveyor, allow for efficient material stockpiling that cuts out unnecessary material handling. By streamlining the process, eliminating extra labor costs, and reducing the amount of equipment on site, the work environment becomes safer.
Rotochopper has also developed solutions for specialized recycling applications, including purpose-built grinders for asphalt shingle waste and wood chip processors for tree care waste. The company also offers mobile bagging equipment that can be towed by a pickup truck, fine grinding systems, and trailer-loading auger systems to streamline your processes.
As a factory-direct company, Rotochopper is uniquely focused on providing innovative solutions and extraordinary customer service.
Vecoplan USA
Archdale, North Carolina
(336) 720-4401
Vecoplan Offers Complete Shredding Solutions
Vecoplan is a world leader in size reduction and material handling systems and is a leading choice for solutions to address pallet scrap. Vecoplan has served the primary and secondary wood markets for over 50 years. With installations in over 120 countries, Vecoplan is a leader in innovation, quality and experience.
Vecoplan designed the VPC 1600-VHZ 1600 combination specifically for the size reduction of large or bulky wood waste materials, such as pallets, crates, CNC skeletons and shipping dunnage. This powerful combination creates an industry-first, two-stage size reduction solution that provides the largest throughput, least power consumption and smallest footprint.
With capacities exceeding six tons per hour, Vecoplan’s VPC 1600–VHZ 1600 combo offers a low hp, electric-drive, and maintenance-friendly alternative to traditional diesel-powered grinders. Vecoplan stated, “Pallet manufacturers, distribution centers and logistics providers now have a pallet and pallet scrap solution that isn’t a loud, dusty, dangerous, and costly headache for facility managers.”
Vecoplan also builds a wide range of vertical grinders that exceed the demands of even the most challenging applications. The VHZ, VAZ, VIZ, and VNZ series of vertical feed grinders offer multiple rotor configurations, drivetrain options, screen sizes and other unique innovations that can process any wood waste into a revenue stream.
The VTH range of horizontal feed grinders and drum chippers offers a robust size reduction solution for sawmills, flooring plants, architectural millwork shops or any manufacturer generating large amounts of linear waste. The VTH line makes short work of all types of lineal waste produced by straight lines, gang rips, panel saws and similar machines.
By combining top-quality grinders with a wide range of high-quality conveying, screening, storage and material handling equipment, Vecoplan provides a single-source solution that meets your waste-handling needs from start to finish.
Vecoplan is committed to excellence at every step from leading innovation, attention to detail, and top-quality equipment backed by strong service and support. Vecoplan is a smart choice for anyone seeking a turnkey, headache-free solution to wood waste problems.
