Metal recycling : Panizzolo: expanding the possibilities of metal recycling

In recent years, the development of recycling technologies has increasingly highlighted the need for solutions that are not only powerful and reliable, but also more focused on specific operating contexts.

This awareness is the starting point for the new Compakt and Industry hammer mill series, presented by Panizzolo Recycling Systems at IFAT Munich 2026. Two solutions designed for different operational needs, yet united by the same objective: transferring the experience and quality standards of Panizzolo technology into essential, reliable and targeted machines, developed to make advanced hammer milling know-how easier to integrate into specific production contexts. 

Compakt responds to the need for a compact and autonomous hammer mill. Industry, on the other hand, introduces a more specialized approach, developed for defined material flows and specific treatment objectives.

The Compakt series has been developed for companies looking for an essential and ready-to-use hammer mill. It is particularly suited to small processing volumes, dedicated applications and operating environments where ease of management is a key requirement.

Thanks to its plug-and-play design, Compakt enables rapid installation and immediate operation, reducing the complexity typically associated with commissioning and setup. Its compact footprint also allows easy integration into limited spaces, offering a practical solution for companies that need to start or complement a hammer milling process without investing in complex infrastructures.

This approach makes Compakt a versatile solution, suitable both as a first treatment system and as a dedicated unit within larger processing plants. It can be used for targeted applications, production trials, small batches or specific materials, while ensuring operational continuity and reliability.

Typical applications include the treatment of small WEEE electric motors, compact transformers, aluminium and copper radiators, as well as various types of light and mixed metal scrap. The machine’s versatility also opens opportunities beyond traditional recycling applications. Compakt can be used for the controlled size reduction of production waste, obsolete components and materials requiring destruction before disposal or recovery. This makes it particularly interesting for sensitive products such as hard drives and similar devices.

The goal is to provide a machine that is easy to operate while maintaining a true industrial approach. Reduced electronic complexity, intuitive controls and simplified maintenance contribute to a solution designed to maximize operational autonomy.

One of the key features of the Compakt series is the availability of different configurations, all based on a common machine body but differentiated by material loading and discharge systems.

The Box version offers straightforward manual operation, with direct loading and discharge through a collection drawer. The Drum configuration maintains manual loading while integrating a more structured discharge system with a vibrating table and ferrous separation. The Autobelt version combines the same discharge setup with conveyor feeding, improving process continuity and material handling efficiency.

These three configurations allow operators to select the setup that best matches their production requirements while maintaining the same design principles: simplicity, robustness and functionality.

With the Industry series, Panizzolo places specialization at the centre of the treatment process. Designed for dedicated applications and single-material flows, Industry represents an alternative approach to hammer milling. Rather than maximizing flexibility across highly heterogeneous materials, the series is engineered to optimize performance when both the processed material and the desired output are clearly defined. This philosophy stems directly from Panizzolo’s extensive experience in multi-material treatment. Over the years, this expertise has shown that when an application is well defined, a specialized machine can often provide the most effective and efficient solution.

The Industry hammer mill integrates its main functional components into a compact monoblock structure, reflecting a design philosophy focused on construction efficiency and operational practicality.

This configuration simplifies installation and plant integration while combining technology and functionality within a single machine.

Available in three dedicated configurations, the Industry series is designed for the targeted processing of specific scrap categories, including mixed ferrous scrap, aluminium profiles, cans and electric motors. Each version features a technical setup developed around a precise production objective, maximizing treatment efficiency, improving operational continuity and ensuring greater process consistency. The result is a specialized and reliable solution where simplicity is not a reduction in technology, but a deliberate design value.

The launch of the new hammer mill series is part of a broader technological development strategy that has seen Panizzolo further strengthen its research and development activities in recent years.

Alongside Compakt and Industry, the company also introduced two solutions designed to support other key stages of the recycling process: material handling and sorting.

The new modular conveyor belt range has been developed to optimize material flow management throughout the plant. Thanks to a modular structure and configurable length and inclination, the system can be adapted to different layouts and operating requirements, contributing to a more continuous, organized and controllable production flow.

The Lynx AI-Sorter, meanwhile, brings a higher level of automation to the sorting phase. By integrating artificial intelligence into the recognition and selection process, the system improves sorting accuracy and consistency while reducing dependence on manual operations. This approach helps maintain the quality of recovered fractions, even when processing complex or variable material streams.

Together, these solutions reflect a broader vision of recycling technology, where every stage of the process contributes to improving efficiency, material recovery and operational continuity.

The solutions presented at IFAT 2026 represent more than individual product launches. They are part of an ongoing development path aimed at expanding the operating possibilities available to recycling companies.

The extension of existing product ranges, the introduction of new models and the development of dedicated accessories are among the next steps in this process. The objective is to provide increasingly complete, configurable and application-oriented technologies, capable of adapting to different production contexts and evolving market requirements.

Through this approach, Panizzolo continues to invest in solutions that combine process expertise, engineering reliability and practical functionality, supporting companies in achieving more efficient and effective material recovery.

Discover more: https://www.panizzolo.com/en