Secure transportation with crosswrapped bales

Cost-efficient transportation is a hot topic in many industries in, as freight costs are reaching an all-time high all around the world. Even though we at Cross Wrap are not professionals of transportation, our solutions have clear benefits in making bale transportation more efficient!

Read on to learn more about how crosswrapped bales travel around the world, and why is it so beneficial to wrap your bales. 

Transporting waste materials is a global business 

Many producers of alternative fuels like RDF and SRF sell the finished product, the bales. As the alternative fuel business is global, the shipping distance of the bales can vary – sometimes bales end up only a few kilometers away, sometimes they must be shipped to another country. 

For short distances, transporting loose waste can be a more economically suitable option. However, as distances between producer and user grow longer, this isn’t always a viable option. In the waste and waste-to-energy sector, baling and wrapping alternative fuels is the go-to move for many professionals, including dozens of Cross Wrap’s customers.  

Why is freight so expensive? 

In times when freight is expensive, finding ways to make transportation more cost-effective is important.

In 2022, the demand for alternative fuels has increased. The industry has faced supply problems due to low waste intake, as well as the high transportation costs. Crude oil and natural gas prices have steadily increased in the past several years, making alternative fuels a potential option for energy. 

The volatility in fuel prices, diminishing workforce in the supply chain, and the aftermath of the pandemic have made shipping both expensive and even unreliable. Supply chains are lacking workforce, as there is a shortage of warehouse workers and truck drivers both in Europe and the US. Moreover, port congestions can create significant delays for freight.  

Currently the demand for freight is high and supply is scarce – you can do the math on what it means. With high transportation costs, efficient use of space is the key in keeping freight cost-effective. Crosswrapping can help you in this sector.  

Smooth transportation with crosswrapped bales  

After the RDF or SRF comes out of the baler, it is wrapped with Cross Wrap Bale Wrappers. Then, the most common transportation method for our customers in the waste industry is via land freight. Most crosswrapped waste or alternative fuel bales are loaded into trucks or shipping containers and are driven to a waste-to-energy or cement plant.  

In some instances, it makes more sense to literally ship the waste bales. If an alternative fuel manufacturing facility is close to the coast, utilizing ships is a viable option. Some facilities have even been built right by a sea or a river to make the logistics easier.  

Crosswrapped bales can be loaded into trucks, shipping containers, or straight to the hold of a ship with a forklift. In all instances, the square bale form is beneficial in maximizing the use of space. Neat bale stacks help to minimize the gaps left between the bales, which ensures that the shipping container or truck is used as efficiently as possible.  

“Crosswrapped bales can be loaded into trucks, shipping containers, or straight to the hold of a ship with a forklift.”

Baler models that produce square bales are able to utilize more pressure in creating the bales. This makes the square bales denser and increases the weight of the bale per m2. Denser bales ensure that more material can be transported in one go, increasing the cost-effectiveness of each shipment. Moreover, careful planning and comparing bale sizes and transportation container dimensions helps to fit more bales inside the chosen container.

The CW Bale Wrappers are suitable for every operation, regardless of the transportation methods used. The amount of wrapping film used in each bale can be optimized according to the requirements of the handling and transportation.  

Regardless of whether there are ties or wires in the bale, the wrapping keeps the bales in excellent shape. The CW Direct Bale Wrapper has an optional netting feature to ensure that non-tied bales maintain their shape well in transit and handling. 

Read next: How square bales differ from round bales? 

Crosswrapping for better alternative fuel bale transportation 

Cross Wrap has a long history of creating solutions for better handling and transportation of various materials, including alternative fuels, waste, and refuse. Our solutions include:  

• CW 2200 Bale Wrapper: safe, automated, high-capacity wrapping for bales of any material from all six sides of the bale 
• CW Direct Bale Wrapper: able to wrap bales straight out of the chamber of a twin-ram baler without the need for bale ties 

To learn more on how you can get the most out of every shipping container, contact us at sales@crosswrap.com