Recycling and Disposal Specialist Explains Latest Trends

HSM GmbH + Co. KG, a south German manufacturer of office equipment and environmental technology, has hosted its latest event looking at trends in the recycling and disposal sector. Close to 90 experts from the disposal sector as well as HSM’s distribution partners travelled from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Romania, Russia, Indonesia and many other countries to convene at Lake Constance.

Jan-Peter Krupczynski, Global Sales and Marketing Director Environmental Technology at HSM and Andrea Falco, Head of Sales UK, France, Spain & Italy, launched the event and provided participants with impressive facts about HSM and its product portfolio. In its company history, now spanning almost fifty years, HSM always kept an eye on future markets and developments. For example, the introduction of the container-deposit legislation for PET bottles in Germany in 2005. To this day, HSM, with its patented crusher technology, is a supplier to almost all notable reverse vending machine manufacturers. Two years later, this was followed by the construction of one of the largest fully automated channel baling presses in HSM’s product range – the HSM VK 12018, with 120 tonnes of pressing force. Conference participants were able to observe this machine live and in action in the Salem plant. Driven by environmental concerns, HSM was the first manufacturer to deliver a frequency-controlled drive for large presses. This innovative drive technology makes energy savings of up to 40 % possible.

The latest addition to the product range is the HSM HL 7009 MGB horizontal baling press. Using the integrated hydraulic lifting and tipping device, it is suitable for the simple emptying of large waste containers. In addition, HSM is currently working on a cross strapping unit for large horizontal baling presses. HSM continues to develop technologies and is always working on the optimisation of its product range.

Approx. 900 employees including about 90 trainees have contributed to this development. The production process is distributed across three plants in Germany, and distribution is handled by six subsidiaries and over 100 distribution and service partners worldwide. Approx. 10,000 tonnes of steel and over 500 tonnes of synthetic granules are processed per year. This would correspond to the production of over 5,000 automobiles. Every year, HSM produces over 3,000 baling presses with a pressing force of up to 150 tonnes. In addition, the company successfully placed approx. 250,000 document shredders in the market last year, ranging from small desktop devices to multi-level document disposal systems with a throughput capacity of up to 3 tonnes per hour. The production is carried out using state-of-the-art production systems. Currently, about 180 registered patents and property rights are active in different countries to protect the know-how of the company. To maintain the high production standard, HSM invests about 4 to 5 percent of its turnover in state-of-the-art production technology as well as buildings and process optimisation. This allows HSM to directly influence quality and ensure high availability of spare parts.

During a tour of the production plant in Salem, visitors were able to witness the high production depth and competence in action. Among other things, they could observe the modern painting facility, in which up to 7 metre long components weighing up to 20 tonnes are sand-blasted and painted or powder-coated. In recent years, HSM has also continuously invested in automation in the welding area and commissioned the eleventh model of its robot welding system, with a load capacity of up to 12 tonnes.

HSM once again presented itself as a specialist in fulfilling customer-individual requirements. Each solution is custom-tailored and makes a significant contribution to improve customer-specific efficiency. From the first visit to the customer’s premises to the maintenance of the machines, HSM is always there for its customers. In the HSM Academy, employees as well as customers and business partners are trained on an ongoing basis.

Visitors were impressed to see baling presses of all sizes and performance capacities exhibited in HSM’s assembly hall, featuring fully automated channel baling presses as well as a wide range of vertical and horizontal baling presses. One of the largest fully automated channel baling presses, the HSM VK 12018, has an extremely high pressing force of 1,200 kN and a large filling hole of 1,800 mm. This model is also available with a frequency-controlled drive option. This drive makes a significant contribution to environmental protection and cost-effectiveness, making it possible to reduce energy costs by up to 40 %. This drive is available for many HSM baling presses and multi-level shredder systems. The HSM VK 12018 makes it possible to achieve – given a drive of, for example, 2 x 55 kW with frequency control – a practical throughput capacity of over 30 tonnes per hour and the ability to handle bales of up to 1,100 kg with a length of up to 1,200 mm. With 1,100 x 1,100 mm, it offers the logistically optimal size for truck and container capacity utilisation. With its many options and additional equipment, HSM can optimally integrate any waste disposal solution into existing procedures and processes.