How to Choose the Right Vertical Baler for a Retail Store or Supermarket
How to choose a vertical baler for a retail shop or supermarket
A small shop with moderate cardboard volumes might need a compact single-phase baler. A busy supermarket receiving large deliveries may need a wider machine that produces heavier bales.
The aim isn’t just to pick the biggest machine that will fit. The baler should suit the shop’s actual waste volumes and make daily waste handling easier without taking up unnecessary floor space.
This guide explains how to compare the most important factors and find a suitable vertical baler for your retail business.
Quick comparison: Which baler suits which retail environment?
For small retail shops, the B4 is a solid all-round option. The B5 Wide is better for bulky cardboard boxes, while the X10 is ideal where low ceiling height or low noise is important. Medium and large retail businesses will usually need models like the B20, X25, B30 Wide or B50 XL SD.
| Retail environment | Relevant model | Main reason to consider it |
|---|---|---|
| Small shop with limited space and moderate cardboard volumes | B4 | Compact design and relatively small bales |
| Small shop receiving bulky cardboard boxes | B5 Wide | One-metre-wide filling opening |
| Backroom with restricted ceiling height or low-noise requirements | X10 | Low overall height and strong compaction |
| Medium-sized supermarket with regular cardboard volumes | B20 | Wide opening and medium-sized, pallet-ready bales |
| Busy supermarket needing high press force in a low machine | X25 | High capacity combined with a low overall height |
| Large supermarket, department store or distribution centre | B30 Wide B50 XL SD | B30 Wide offers an extra-wide opening for very large boxes. B50 XL SD is designed for the largest waste volumes and transport-optimised, high-density bales. |
Why use a vertical baler in a retail shop?
Cardboard can quickly take up valuable space in retail backrooms and goods-receiving areas. A vertical baler allows employees to compact it close to where it is generated, helping to:
- Free up floor and storage space
- Reduce the handling of loose cardboard
- Keep recyclable materials separated
- Create uniform bales that are easier to store and collect
- Improve backroom housekeeping and waste logistics
Bramidan vertical balers can reduce suitable waste volumes by up to 90%, depending on the material and machine selected. The aim is not only to produce a bale, but to improve the entire process from unpacking goods to collection.
The five most important factors when choosing a retail baler
1. How much cardboard does the store generate?
Waste volume is the first factor to consider.
A small store that fills a few roll cages each week has different requirements from a supermarket receiving multiple deliveries every day. If the baler is too small, staff may have to run frequent press cycles and produce many small bales. If it is too large, it may take up valuable space without providing a meaningful operational benefit.
Measure waste volumes over a representative period rather than relying on a general estimate.
Record:
• the number of boxes or full roll cages generated each day
• how often cardboard containers are currently emptied (and the sizes of containers)
• how much space loose cardboard takes up
• how much time staff spend folding and moving boxes
• whether volumes increase during campaigns or seasonal peaks
• whether the store expects its waste volume to grow
The selected machine should be able to handle normal daily volumes without becoming a bottleneck. It should also have enough capacity for predictable peak periods.
2. How large are the cardboard boxes?
The filling opening is often as important as the press force.
A store may generate a moderate amount of cardboard but receive products in large transit boxes. If these boxes do not fit through the baler opening, staff will have to cut, fold or flatten them before loading.
That extra handling can reduce the time-saving benefit of the machine.
Measure the largest boxes that occur regularly and compare them with the feed opening of each model.
For example:
• The B4 has a feed opening of 770 × 460 mm.
• The B5 Wide has a feed opening of 1,000 × 500 mm.
• The B20 has a feed opening of 1,200 × 480 mm.
• The B30 Wide has a feed opening of 1,525 × 560 mm.
The B5 Wide is designed specifically for bulky material despite being categorised for smaller waste volumes. The B30 Wide combines a very large opening with capacity for significantly heavier bales.
A wide-opening baler may therefore be the right choice even when the total waste volume is not especially high.
3. How much space is available?
Measure more than the baler’s footprint.
The installation area must also provide enough room to:
• open the filling and lower doors
• stand safely in front of the machine
• tie the finished bale
• eject the bale
• position a trolley or pallet truck
• remove the bale from the area
• access the machine for cleaning and service
Also measure the delivery route. Check doors, corridors, lifts, loading bays and ceiling clearances before ordering the machine.
Ceiling height can be particularly important. Traditional vertical balers have their hydraulic cylinders above the chamber. X-Series models use internal cross cylinders, which can provide high press force while keeping the machine relatively low.
The X10, for example, is approximately 1,905 mm high and has a press force of 10 tonnes. The X25 is approximately 1,995 mm high and has a press force of 25 tonnes.
This makes the X-Series relevant for backrooms with low ceilings, overhead installations or shelving that limits the available height.
4. What bale weight can the store handle?
Bale weight affects storage, internal transport and collection.
Small bales are easier to move and may be suitable for stores without a forklift. However, the store will produce more individual bales and spend more time tying and handling them.
Heavy bales reduce the number of units that must be stored and collected, but they require suitable handling equipment.
Indicative cardboard bale weights include:
• B4: 40–60 kg
• B5 Wide: 80–110 kg
• X10: 70–90 kg
• B20: 200–250 kg
• X25: 200–300 kg
• B30 Wide: 400–500 kg
The B4, B5 Wide and X10 can therefore be relevant where smaller bales are preferred. B20 and X25 bales are designed to be moved using a pallet truck or forklift. The B30 Wide produces large, heavy bales for operations with suitable handling and storage facilities.
Before selecting a machine, ask your waste collector or recycler:
• which bale weights they prefer
• whether bales must be placed on pallets
• which tying material is accepted
• how many bales are required before collection
• whether different materials must be baled separately
The ideal bale weight should work for both the store and the company collecting the material.
5. How will the baler fit into the daily workflow?
A technically suitable machine can still be the wrong choice if staff find it difficult to use.
Consider where the cardboard is generated and how it currently moves through the store. The baler should ideally be positioned close to goods receiving, unpacking or another central waste point.
Evaluate:
• filling height
• door type
• cycle time
• noise level
• ease of loading
• bale-full indicator
• bale ejection
• access control
• distance from the unpacking area
• number of staff using the machine
Automatic bale ejection is available on the models compared in this article. Once a bale has been tied, the machine’s mechanism tips it out of the chamber. This avoids the need to lift the finished bale manually.
Noise can also affect the choice when the baler will be installed close to the sales floor, offices or staff facilities. The X10 and X25 have stated operating noise levels of 59–60 dB, while the other models in this comparison range from 60 to 70 dB.
The best machine is usually the one that staff can load as part of their normal workflow rather than treating waste handling as a separate task.
A straightforward baler selection checklist
1. What materials will be compacted?
Cardboard, paper and soft plastic may need different handling and should usually be baled separately.
2. How much material is generated?
Record normal volumes as well as seasonal peaks.
3. How large are the biggest boxes?
Compare their dimensions with the machine’s filling opening.
4. How much installation space is available? (and the route from unloading to installation)
Include working space, door movement and bale ejection.
5. How will the finished bale be moved?
Smaller bales can be moved using a trolley. Medium and large bales will need a pallet truck or forklift.
6. Which power supply is available?
Compact models might use single-phase power, while larger models usually require three-phase power.
7. How often will the machine be used?
Frequent loading may make door type, filling height and cycle time especially important.
8. What does the waste collector require?
Confirm preferred bale size, weight, tying method and collection setup.
Which vertical baler is best for each type of retail operation?
Small shop with limited space
The B4 is a suitable starting point for smaller retail shops with moderate amounts of cardboard.
It operates on a single-phase 230 V supply and produces cardboard bales of approximately 40–60 kg. Its compact size makes it easier to install where floor space is tight.
Consider the B4 when:
• cardboard volumes are relatively low
• boxes fit through a 770 × 460 mm opening
• smaller bales are easier for the shop to handle
• a single-phase power connection is preferred
The B4 has automatic bale ejection and a full-bale indicator.
Small shop with large cardboard boxes
The B5 Wide is designed for shops that have relatively modest waste volumes but receive bulky boxes.
Its one-metre-wide filling opening reduces the need to cut or fold cardboard before loading.
The machine operates on single-phase power and produces cardboard bales of approximately 80–110 kg.
The B5 Wide may be a better choice than a narrower machine when box size creates more work than the total volume of cardboard.
Backroom with a low ceiling
The X10 combines a relatively low overall height with a 10-tonne press force.
It is relevant when:
• the ceiling height is restricted
• the machine must fit below installations or shelving
• low noise is a priority
• stronger compaction is required in a compact area
• cardboard and other recyclable materials may be processed
The X10 produces cardboard bales of approximately 70–90 kg and operates at a stated noise level of 59–60 dB.
Medium-sized supermarket
The B20 is designed for medium waste volumes and has a wide filling opening for larger cardboard boxes.
It produces cardboard bales of approximately 200–250 kg. The bale dimensions are suitable for a standard EUR pallet, making storage and internal transport more predictable.
The B20 is particularly relevant when:
• cardboard is generated continuously
• a wide filling opening is needed
• the shop wants fewer and heavier bales
• a pallet truck or forklift is available
• three-phase power is available
The X25 is an alternative when the supermarket requires more press force or has restricted ceiling height. It produces cardboard bales of approximately 200–300 kg while maintaining an overall height of approximately 1,995 mm.
Large supermarket or department store
The B30 Wide is relevant for large volumes and very bulky cardboard.
Its feed opening measures 1,525 × 560 mm, and it produces cardboard bales of approximately 400–500 kg.
Consider this type of machine when:
• large boxes are handled every day
• high cardboard volumes are generated
• fewer, heavier bales are preferred
• there is sufficient floor and ceiling space
• the shop has suitable pallet-handling equipment
• three-phase power is available
The B30 Wide can reduce preparation time because even large boxes can often be loaded without extensive folding.
How the models in this guide were chosen
The final model should always be chosen after an assessment of the store’s actual waste volumes and installation conditions.
Safety, training and service should support the choice
For retail chains, access control and documented operator training might also be important. Bramidan Certify can assist businesses in organising and recording operator training across different locations.
Frequently asked questions
Which vertical baler is best for a small retail store?
The B4 is suitable for small cardboard volumes and limited floor space. The B5 Wide is a better starting point when the store handles bulky boxes, while the X10 is relevant when low height, low noise and stronger compaction are priorities.
Which vertical baler is best for a supermarket?
A medium-sized supermarket can often begin by comparing the B20 and X25. The B20 provides a wide filling opening and 200–250 kg cardboard bales. The X25 offers a higher press force, low machine height and 200–300 kg cardboard bales.
How much space does a vertical baler require?
The required space includes the machine footprint plus room to open doors, load material, tie and eject the bale and position handling equipment. Ceiling height and the route used to deliver the machine must also be measured.
Is the largest baler always the most efficient choice?
No. An oversized baler may take up unnecessary space and produce bales that are difficult for the store to handle. The most efficient choice is a machine that matches the actual waste volume, box size and daily workflow.
Can the same baler compact cardboard and plastic?
Most vertical balers can compact both cardboard and dry soft plastic. The materials should usually be sorted and baled separately according to the requirements of the recycler or waste collector.
Do vertical balers eject the bale automatically?
The Bramidan models compared in this guide have automatic bale ejection. After the finished bale is tied, the ejection mechanism tips it out of the chamber for removal.
Should a retail store choose single-phase or three-phase power?
Compact models such as the B4, B5 Wide and X10 use a single-phase 230 V supply in the standard specifications shown on Bramidan.com. Larger models such as the B20, X25 and B30 Wide require three-phase 400 V power. Always confirm local specifications before ordering.
Get help choosing the right vertical baler
The right baler should suit the waste, the building and the employees’ daily workflow.
Before contacting a supplier, gather:
• estimated cardboard volume per day or week
• measurements of the largest boxes
• dimensions and photographs of the proposed location
• available power supply
• preferred bale weight
• information about current waste collections
• details of available bale-handling equipment
Explore Bramidan’s vertical baler range or contact Bramidan for a recommendation based on your retail operation.
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