An Italian manufacturer of high-end granulators is moving into the North American market.
Bruno Folcieri Srl, Volongo, Italy, has named Innovative Recycling Solutions of Greer, S.C., as its exclusive sales and service partner for the U.S. and Canada. Innovative Recycling Solutions also represents Gamma Meccanica SpA, a maker of plastic recycling systems, in North America.
Bruno Folcieri granulators are big and robust, according to Heath Sellers, president and GM of Innovative Recycling Solutions.
"They are not going to be cheap, but I don't mind selling quality and taking on the toughest applications," he said. "These granulators do things others cannot, especially in wet granulation."
Bruno Folcieri is a family-owned company that was founded in 1947. It builds only granulators.
The company builds two lines, the Master Line for medium- and low-output applications and the Top Line for high output.
The Master Line granulators consist of models with throughputs ranging from 330 pounds per hour to about 2,870 pounds per hour. Master Line models have rotors built from steel plates welded onto a hardened steel shaft. Blades and counter blades are made of chromium steel. The hopper opening has a hydraulic opening system.
The high-output Top Line systems have wet and dry versions and are suitable for barrels, blocks, bottles, film, tape, pipe and profiles, the company said. The line consists of models with throughputs ranging from 1,100 pounds per hour to 11,000 pounds per hour.
The Top Line's most distinctive features include a one-piece rotor made of full-forged steel, which is inspected by X-ray and ultrasound to guarantee no defects, and a wedge system that can automatically lock the blade to guarantee stability during rotation.
The wet granulating units in the Top Line series are aimed at applications such as agricultural film, inkjet-printed plastic materials, battery containers and PE and PET bottles.
Depending on the application, Bruno Folcieri granulators can be configured with different numbers of bed knives and counter knives as well as different types and sizes of infeed hoppers.
To facilitate maintenance, Top Line granulators have hydraulically operated feed-hopper access panels and screen holders. Blades and counter blades are adjustable, and the transmission components are accessible through the flywheel housing.
Blades can be changed without changing the entire rotor block. Blades and counter blades are made of chromium steel.
Bruno Folcieri also provides conveying systems with soundproof conveyors and metal detectors, soundproof cabinets with a big-bag unit for material storage, stainless-steel drain screws, pushers for voluminous materials, discharge systems and dust-control systems. It also has an aspirator for ground material in 11 kilowatt (kW), 15 kW, 22 kW and 37 kW versions.
There are long-term plans to stock granulators in the South Carolina location. Spare parts will be stocked there immediately. Service will also be conducted from there.
Delivery time will be about 90 days plus shipping time for large granulators and less than 60 days for smaller units, Sellers said.
"Bruno Folcieri has one standard; beefy and robust machines," Sellers said. "Big machines with high output are their hallmark. But they build a full range, and we are going to promote all of them in this market.
"We think there will be a market for all sizes," he said.
Since the Italian manufacturer is a small business, Sellers said he expects it will be possible to fill orders for customized granulators.
Sellers said he will have a Bruno Folcieri granulator in the NPE2018 booth with Gamma Meccanica to introduce the line.
Ron Shinn, editor
Contact:
Innovative Recycling Solutions LLC Greer, S.C., 877-675-0775, www.irecyclingsolutions.com
Ron Shinn | Editor
Editor Ron Shinn is a co-founder of Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing and has been covering the plastics industry for more than 35 years. He leads the editorial team, directs coverage and sets the editorial calendar. He also writes features, including the Talking Points column and On the Factory Floor, and covers recycling and sustainability for PMM and Plastics Recycling.
