Santiago, Chile: ENERPAT AMB-H1510-160 Aluminium Can Baler Installed

Helping a Metal Recycler Reduce the Volume of Aluminium Can Scrap

For recycling businesses handling used aluminium cans, transport costs can quickly become a challenge when loose material takes up valuable loading space. An aluminium can baler helps address this problem by compressing bulky cans into compact, manageable bales, making storage and outbound transport easier to organise.

This was the key consideration behind ENERPAT's recent installation in Santiago, Chile. A local recycling company needed a practical way to reduce the volume of aluminium can scrap before shipment. After evaluating the technical requirements and after-sales support, the customer selected the ENERPAT AMB-H1510-160 Hopper-Style Automatic Metal Baler to improve material handling and support more efficient transport planning.

The Challenge: Bulky Cans, Limited Space and Freight Costs

Aluminium cans are lightweight, but their loose, irregular shape creates a logistical problem. A collection area can fill up quickly without holding a correspondingly large quantity of material by weight.

For a recycler shipping recovered cans to downstream buyers, this creates several operational pressures:

• High transport volume: Loose cans occupy valuable trailer space before the available payload is fully utilised.

• Storage pressure: Bulky material takes up room that could otherwise support sorting, receiving or other recycling activities.

• Repeated material handling: Moving loose cans between collection, storage and loading areas can add unnecessary work.

• Uncertain operating costs: Freight efficiency becomes harder to manage when the volume of material is not properly controlled.

The Santiago project focused on the issue that mattered most to the customer: compacting aluminium cans into manageable bales to reduce transport volume.

The equipment selection was based on two key considerations: technical suitability and after-sales service. A baler needs to match the material and working requirements, but the long-term value of the investment also depends on reliable technical support, commissioning and access to assistance when needed.

The Solution: An Aluminium Can Baler Designed for Continuous Feeding

ENERPAT recommended the AMB-H1510-160, a hopper-style hydraulic metal baler designed for lightweight metal scrap, including used beverage cans (UBCs) and aluminium scrap.

Unlike a system that relies on loading a small batch and manually restarting the process after every cycle, the Hopper-Style Automatic Metal Baler is designed to support continuous feeding. Its open hopper allows operators to introduce material while the machine carries out its compression cycle, helping create a more organised workflow when the feed supply is properly managed.

For the Santiago recycler, the purpose of the installation was not simply to press cans into blocks. It was to improve how the material moved through the facility—from collection and temporary storage to preparation for transport.

The machine compresses loose cans into compact bales without requiring a binding agent for the hydraulic compaction process. Once the bales are formed, they are easier to stack, store and handle than an equivalent loose volume of cans.

This gives the operation a practical route to improving space utilisation and freight planning without changing the fundamental nature of the recovered aluminium.

Equipment Installed: ENERPAT AMB-H1510-160 Metal Scrap Baling Press Machine

The AMB-H1510-160 Metal Scrap Baling Press Machine is part of ENERPAT's AMB-H series of automatic, hopper-style metal balers. It is intended for recycling operations that need to process lightweight, bulky metal scrap efficiently.

Key specifications include:

• Model: AMB-H1510-160

• Machine type: Hopper-Style Automatic Metal Baler

• Rated pressing force: 160 tonnes

• Motor power: 37 kW

• Press chamber dimensions: 1,500 × 1,000 mm

• Bale dimensions: Approximately 350 × 350 mm

• Operation: Automatic hydraulic compression

• Typical applications: Aluminium cans, aluminium scrap, metal turnings and other suitable lightweight metal materials

The published machine specification lists a maximum output of up to 60 bales per hour. Actual throughput and bale weight depend on the material, its condition, feeding method and operating settings. These figures should therefore be confirmed against the customer's specific material and production requirements.

For aluminium can recycling, the 160-tonne pressing force and hopper-style configuration provide a practical combination of compression capacity and feeding convenience. The resulting bale format also gives operators a more consistent unit for handling, stacking and preparing loads for shipment.

How the Installation Helps Address the Customer's Priorities

1. More efficient use of transport space

The main objective was to reduce the space occupied by loose aluminium cans. Compact bales allow more organised loading and can help increase the amount of recyclable material carried in a given transport volume, subject to vehicle payload limits and the density achieved.

The actual freight saving depends on the original loading arrangement, bale weight, transport route, vehicle capacity and shipping frequency. A site-specific comparison is the most reliable way to quantify the benefit.

2. Better use of storage space

Loose cans can occupy a large footprint and be difficult to stack consistently. Baling turns this material into more regular units, helping the facility organise its storage area and prepare material for collection or dispatch.

For recyclers operating within a limited yard or warehouse, better space utilisation can support smoother day-to-day material movement.

3. A more structured material-handling process

A hopper-style baler creates a defined point for feeding, compressing and discharging aluminium cans. When integrated with the site's existing collection and handling arrangements, this can reduce unnecessary movement and make the flow of material easier to manage.

The level of automation and labour savings achieved will depend on the feeding equipment, operator procedures and overall site layout.

4. A solution selected around technical requirements

The customer prioritised technical specifications and after-sales service rather than selecting equipment on purchase price alone. The AMB-H1510-160 was chosen for its compression force, chamber configuration and suitability for lightweight metal scrap.

This approach matters because a machine that is too small for the intended workload can create a production bottleneck, while an unnecessarily large system can add capital and operating costs. Matching the baler to the material and actual processing requirements is an important step towards a sound investment.

Why After-Sales Support Matters for a Recycling Operation

Equipment performance is only one part of a successful installation. Commissioning, operating guidance, maintenance planning and access to technical assistance all contribute to the long-term usefulness of a baling system.

For a recycling business in Chile, it is important to clarify the support arrangements before ordering: installation scope, operator training, spare-parts availability, response procedures and warranty coverage should all be confirmed with the supplier.

As a recycling equipment manufacturer, ENERPAT works with customers to identify suitable equipment configurations and provide technical guidance throughout the project. For the AMB-H1510-160, material characteristics and the intended production workflow should be reviewed alongside the machine specifications to help ensure that the selected configuration fits the application.

This is particularly important when a baler is expected to operate regularly and directly influence the efficiency of outbound material shipments.

Chile's Recycling Market: Why Aluminium Can Compaction Deserves Attention

Chile's regulatory framework provides a broader reason for recyclers to review their material-handling processes. The country's Extended Producer Responsibility framework, established under Law No. 20,920, places obligations on producers of designated priority products, including packaging, to organise and finance waste collection and recovery through the applicable management systems.

Supreme Decree No. 12, published in March 2021, establishes progressive collection and recovery targets for packaging. The packaging targets began to take effect in September 2023. The rules distinguish between household and non-household packaging, with targets phased in over time. Metal packaging is included in the framework.

These requirements do not mean that every recycling company is directly subject to the same obligations. The applicable responsibilities depend on the business's role in the supply chain and the relevant regulatory provisions. However, the framework reinforces the importance of organised collection, recovery and material traceability across Chile's recycling sector.

For aluminium can collectors and recyclers, this creates a practical reason to examine how recovered material is sorted, stored, compacted and delivered to downstream buyers. Efficient baling cannot replace a compliant collection or recovery system, but it can help improve the logistics of handling recovered metal.

What should recyclers consider before investing?

• Material volume: Estimate the quantity of cans received per shift, day or week.

• Freight arrangements: Compare loose-material loading with the expected bale dimensions and density.

• Available space: Review the footprint required for feeding, bale discharge and temporary storage.

• Downstream requirements: Confirm bale size, weight, cleanliness and acceptance criteria with the buyer.

• Operating costs: Include electricity, labour, maintenance, transport and expected utilisation in the investment calculation.

• Service arrangements: Confirm commissioning, training, warranty terms and spare-parts support before purchase.

The strongest investment case comes from actual operating figures—not from a headline production rate alone.

Looking for an Aluminium Can Baler for Sale?

Businesses searching for an aluminum can densifier for sale often need more than a machine quotation. They need to know whether the baler can handle their material consistently, fit their facility and improve the economics of transporting recovered cans.

When comparing an aluminum can baler price, consider the complete operating requirement rather than the initial purchase cost alone. Pressing force, chamber size, achievable bale weight, feeding arrangements, power consumption, installation requirements and after-sales support can all affect the total cost of ownership.

ENERPAT provides baling equipment for aluminium cans and other suitable metal scrap applications. As an baling machine manufacturer, the company can help assess the intended material, processing volume and site requirements before recommending a model.

For operations with similar needs to the Santiago project, the AMB-H1510-160 is one option worth evaluating. Final selection should be based on a review of the actual can stream, desired bale characteristics and expected daily throughput.

Frequently Asked Questions

Need a More Efficient Way to Handle Aluminium Can Scrap?

The Santiago installation highlights how an aluminium can baler can help recycling businesses manage bulky can scrap more efficiently. By compacting loose cans into more manageable bales, the AMB-H1510-160 provides a practical approach to improving storage organisation and preparing recovered aluminium for shipment.

For recyclers evaluating an aluminium can baler in Chile or other markets, the right choice depends on material volume, required bale specifications, available space and long-term service support. Contact ENERPAT with your processing requirements to discuss whether the AMB-H1510-160 or another baling solution is suitable for your operation.