Even before the rise in oil and natural gas prices, recyclers and plastics processors were seeking solutions to increase their capacity, he notes. Added capacity, driven by the need to create economical alternative streams of resin, has helped the market to hit levels not seen for quite a few years.

With the added focus on safety, productivity, and profitable operation, the opportunities have been very good for manufacturers of primary size reduction equipment, says Farley. At ACS Group (Verona, WI), the months since the K show have been very active and busy, with his sales team pursuing and closing a good many orders, especially for the reclaim market. Adding to that, the recent Plastics Recycling Conference in New Orleans, at which Cumberland exhibited, again raised the level of interest and increased the number of firms seeking to participate in the expansion of this market, he says.

"In this expansion, our CT500 series units and our X Series units have been prime drivers," says Farley. These units are capable of high outputs with limited consumption of floor space, while also helping customers reduce their power consumption. Maintenance requirements for these are low and performance is high, he says. —PlasticsToday Staff