Baling wire is essential in the recycling industry. In short, bale ties are used to secure bales of recyclable material safely and neatly before moving on through the recycling process. There are different types and styles of baling wires used in the industry today. In this article, we will cover how baling wire is used, the different types available, and how Quincy Recycle can equip your business with these essential recycling equipment supplies.

How is baling wire used in the recycling industry?

Manufacturers and distributors produce a lot of recyclable scrap material. Whether that’s cardboard, plastics, paper, or metals, using recycling equipment like balers helps businesses efficiently organize, store, and prepare that scrap for recycling. That’s where baling wire comes in.

The baling wire is fed through a baler to tie-off the bale of scrap. Baling your recyclable scrap makes loading the scrap onto a trailer for transit much easier. Plus, it helps keep your facility cleaner and more organized. Seems simple enough, right? Well, there is actually a lot to consider when choosing bale wire.

What are the different types of baling wire available?

Here at Quincy Recycle, we sell high-quality, American-made industrial bale wire. While import options are available, we’ve found that American-made bale ties undergo stricter quality control standards and simply hold up better. Plus, you get to support a product made here in the USA!

There are three main types of baling wire commonly used in the recycling industry; Single-Loop Bale Ties, Box Wire, and Stump Wire. With each type of baling wire, there are various wire gauges, lengths, and finishes available.

Single-Loop Bale Ties

Single Loop bale ties are used with vertical and horizontal balers. These ties secure bales of recycled material after it has already gone through the baler. Single-loop baling ties are hand-tied by running the loose end through the loop to secure the wire around the bale.

Box Wire

If your business is using an auto-tie style baler, then box wire is a great option. Box wire comes packaged as one continuous length of wire. The wire is fed through an auto-tie baler. This is great for manufacturers or distributors that produce large quantities of scrap material because it helps save time. Whereas single-loop bale ties are hand fed and hand-tied for every bale, box wire feeds continuously for a more efficient workflow.

Stump Wire

For handling even larger quantities of scrap material, stump wire is your best bet and comes in very large spools. The spools of wire are auto-fed similar to Box Wire, but because of the larger sized spools, they are changed out less often. For example, you’ll find stump wire used with Two Ram Balers, which have a single-wire feed. These balers are processing huge quantities of scrap and stump wire helps prevent extra downtime from frequent wire spool changes.

Galvanized vs Black Annealed Baling Wire

Another choice you need to make is whether to use galvanized or black annealed bale ties. Galvanized baling wire is sometimes referred to as “clean wire” and tends to be the most popular option for our vendors. Galvanized wire is resistant to corrosion and is a better choice when securing certain types of scrap material.

For example, let’s say you are baling old soda cans that still have a bit of liquid leftover (which is common). The excess liquid can have a negative effect on the wire over time, so choosing galvanized wire, which is less susceptible to corrosive elements is the best option. For similar reasons, it is also a better choice when storing bales outdoors.

Black annealed baling wire on the other hand is more pliable than galvanized wire, which can come in handy depending on your use. Some material re-expands more than others once unloaded from the baler, so having a little extra flexibility can help prevent the wire from failing. You may hear people refer to black annealed wire as “dirty.” That’s because it has a light coating of oil which helps resist corrosion. Black annealed bale ties will rust when used and stored outdoors, which is why it’s important to consider your specific application when choosing the type of wire you will be using.

Baling Wire Gauges

The last primary consideration you need to take into account is choosing the appropriate wire gauge for the material you are baling. Typically we sell baling wire in gauges ranging from 10-14. Wire with a lower gauge (10-ga.) is going to be thicker and stronger than higher gauge wire (14-ga.). When you purchase your baling wire from Quincy Recycle, our team will take the guesswork out of choosing the right gauge wire, so you can rest easy knowing the baling wire your team is using is safe and strong enough for your application.

Why should you buy your baling wire from Quincy Recycle?

We know there are a lot of choices out there of where to purchase baling wire for your recycling equipment. However, a lot of those choices are not necessarily recycling companies. That means, they can sell you the baling wire, but that’s about it. Quincy Recycle on the other hand is a recycling company. In addition to baling wire, we offer recycling equipment sales and service, along with a wide range of recycling services. Plus, we make customer service a top priority.

At Quincy Recycle, we strive to be a one-stop-shop solution for our partners. Because recycling isn’t a one-size-fits-all business, we take a personal approach in everything we do. And, that includes baling wire sales. There is a lot that goes into the recycling process, from choosing equipment to how to offload your valuable scrap material. That’s why it’s important to choose a partner who can provide customized solutions based on your specific goals and needs.

Ready to learn more about how Quincy Recycle can help your business?

Whether you’re interested in purchasing baling wire, recycling equipment, or learning more about our recycling services, we’d love to talk. Contact us today and let’s take the first step towards a more sustainable future for your business.

About Quincy Recycle

Quincy Recycle solves complex waste stream problems for manufacturers and other industrial supplies. We have an expansive service network spanning from coast-to-coast.

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