Gesvasa uses Weima single-shaft shredder for mixed plastic waste

The family-owned company Gesvasa specialises in the collection and processing of non-hazardous industrial waste. The company processes a wide variety of plastic materials from the automotive industry, logistics and the agri-food sector, ranging from canisters and buckets to plastic twine. A Weima single-shaft shredder plays a crucial role in this process.

At its facility in La Rioja, Spain, Gesvasa processes primarily polypropylene, polyethylene, PET and polystyrene. These materials arrive in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and mixtures. Before further processing, the mixed fractions must first be sorted and prepared for the recycling process.

"We collect a lot of industrial waste and sort it by quality and material type. This often results in complex plastic mixtures that are difficult to handle," explains Adrián Alonso, CEO of Gesvasa.

Bulky and voluminous waste, in particular, posed challenges for the company, as it requires a lot of storage space and incurs high transport costs.

Versatile use of the shredder

To store bulky plastics efficiently and facilitate transport, Gesvasa opted for a Weima WLK 1500 single-shaft shredder in 2024. The company chose this model partly because of its ability to process various types of plastic, its compact design and its versatility.

The shredder reduces the input material to a specified particle size of 20 or 30 mm. With two interchangeable round-hole screens, Gesvasa can adapt flexibly to different material requirements. Material is fed into the machine either by wheel loader or manually. After shredding, the flakes are stored in big bags and then passed on to recycling partners, who use them to produce regranulate.

From bulky to transportable

Shredding significantly reduces the volume of plastic waste. For Gesvasa, this means optimised logistics processes and more efficient storage. "With the WEIMA shredder, we can efficiently reduce even very bulky materials to a small size. This saves a tremendous amount of space and makes transport much easier," says Alonso.

In daily operation, the shredder is easy to maintain. The screen is easily accessible and can be cleaned quickly. After stopping the machine, the interior can be blown out or swept clean, allowing a material change with minimal effort. This flexibility is a key advantage, especially for companies such as Gesvasa that process different plastic streams.

Up to 4,000 tonnes per year

Material that previously took up a lot of storage space and incurred high transport costs is now shredded, stored in a space-saving manner and prepared for further recycling. Gesvasa processes between 3,500 and 4,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually, contributing to resource conservation and the return of plastics to the material cycle.

Shredded plastic crates (polypropylene)

For more than 40 years, Weima Maschinenbau GmbH has been developing and manufacturing machinery and equipment for material processing, recycling and the recovery of valuable resources for reintroduction into the circular economy. The company's product range includes shredders, briquetting presses and dewatering presses for applications in the wood, plastics, paper, metal and waste industries.

As a system supplier, Weima delivers both standalone machines and complete multi-stage processing lines. The family-owned company, headquartered in Ilsfeld, relies on a technology network developed over decades. Collaboration within interdisciplinary project teams enables customised recycling solutions from a single source, from material feeding to the processed end product.

With more than 43,000 machines installed worldwide and production facilities in Baden-Württemberg and Saxony-Anhalt, Weima is one of the leading manufacturers of shredding and compaction equipment. International subsidiaries and a global partner network provide customer support around the world.