REWE International AG | ÖsterreichREWE Group optimizes deposit recycling with five Austropressen APK-ES channel balers

Austropressen and Deposit Recycling – A Strong and Fast Partnership

The single-use deposit system for cans and PET bottles in Austria brings new requirements for compaction at logistics centers and retail locations. In addition to bale quality, process reliability, defined technical specifications and high system availability are key priorities. Austropressen solutions ensure efficient and optimal compaction of deposit materials in retail.

The central organization EWP Recycling Pfand Österreich defined the requirements, including technical specifications, bale quality and handling. Based on these criteria, the most suitable models were selected and equipped with the appropriate special features.

For long-standing customer REWE Group, speed was also a key factor. Within just a few weeks, five fully automated APK channel balers, including conveyor technology, were installed and commissioned at various central warehouse locations across Austria.

The balers installed for REWE Group Austria at a glance:

• 5 channel balers APK-ES60 with 640 kN of pressing force

• All machines equipped with 5-fold vertical tying

• Special equipment for optimal PET handling

• 1,000 mm wide belt conveyors for each system

With these systems, Austropressen makes an important contribution to the successful implementation of Austria’s single-use deposit system. The high-performance channel balers ensure reliable compaction of recyclable materials, meet the required bale quality standards and enable economical, safe and efficient operation throughout the entire return logistics process.

In Detail: APK-ES60 for the REWE Central Warehouse in St. Veit

As part of the introduction of the Austrian single-use deposit system, long-standing customer REWE once again relied on Austropressen’s expertise. A total of five additional APK-ES60 channel balers were supplied and installed by Austropressen, including two machines at the logistics site in St. Veit an der Glan (Carinthia, Austria).

Austropressen provided the sites with reliable, high-performance baling technology for the efficient processing of returned beverage cans and deposit bottles. At the St. Veit logistics site, around 800,000 products are picked every month across an area of approximately 4,200 m², supplying around 400 BILLA, BILLA PLUS and ADEG stores in the surrounding federal states.

The APK-ES60 channel baler combines a maximum pressing force of 640 kN, a specific surface pressure of 75 N/cm², a filling volume of 1.4 m³ and a theoretical throughput of up to 375 m³/h.

All systems are equipped with 5-fold vertical steel-wire tying and are continuously fed via 1,000 mm-wide belt conveyors. To meet the specific requirements of PET and can handling, additional replaceable HARDOX wear-resistant elements provide increased resistance to abrasion, ensuring a long overall service life of the systems.

Technical Specifications of the Austropressen Baler APK-ES60

• With a pressing force of 640 kN, the baler can produce bales weighing up to 550 kg, depending on the material, with a bale length of 1.2 m.

• Efficiently processes a wide range of materials, including cardboard, film, PET bottles, aluminium and tin cans.

• A 45 kW drive with sensor-controlled shutdown when no material is present, combined with sensors monitoring the filling hopper, ensures efficient energy consumption.

• Replaceable HARDOX base and side plates reduce wear and extend the service life of the channel baler.

• Specially developed hydraulic power units and an integrated oil conditioning system – combining cooling, heating and filtration in one system – ensure energy-efficient operation and extend the service life of the hydraulic components and hydraulic oil.

• High-quality branded components: hydraulic equipment from Rexroth/Parker and electrical equipment from Siemens.

• The patented cutting system minimizes material blockages, energy consumption and wear on the cutting tools.

• Optimally designed knives with the ideal cutting angle, combined with the automatic bale release function, ensure smooth and continuous operation.

• Continuous and wire-efficient operation thanks to the fully automatic 5-fold vertical bale tying system DRILLFIX 2.0, designed for 600 kg wire coils.

• Maximum operator safety through a key transfer system for monitoring and securing access doors.