Baler Servicing & Maintenance

Since 1999, QCR Recycling Equipment (QCR) has been one of the UK's leading baler servicing providers, keeping thousands of waste balers running smoothly with expert repairs and routine servicing - all delivered by our trusted team of skilled engineers.

Expert Baler Servicing Support That Keeps You Baling

A waste baler service undertaken by one of our expert engineers is designed to keep your waste baling equipment running efficiently and safely, reducing downtime and ensuring your operations are not disrupted. Our team of experienced technicians are trained in-house to provide expert servicing and aftersales support to keep your baler in optimal condition. Whether you need to book a routine baler service or an emergency repair, we've got you covered.

Why Choose QCR for Waste Baler Servicing?

SafeContractor Accreditation

Industry-Leading UK Team: We have the skills, tools and spare parts available to keep your baler in great condition. We offer everything from one-off service inspections to fixed-term service agreements or repairs. For over 25 years we have provided professional baler maintenance services to hundreds of businesses across the UK and take care of thousands of machines.
Fast Response Time: When your waste baler needs attention, our own in-house qualified baler technicians will visit your premises within 72 hours to carry out planned maintenance or essential repairs. Our aim is to keep baler down-time to an absolute minimum, reducing costs for our customers significantly.
Accredited & Approved: Following a thorough review of our operational procedures, our servicing team have been awarded SafeContractor™ accreditation giving you extra reassurance when we're working at your premises.
Expert Diagnostics & Advice: Our team are trained to service hydraulic balers and pneumatic balers. We'll provide a full inspection of the machine, lubrication of key components, testing of the compaction plate, check of the ram operation and where applicable compressor checks. We can also advise you on upgrading your baler to a more efficient model.
EV Fleet: 80% of baler servicing vehicles are WVs enabling us to offer very competitive baler servicing plans for businesses located the Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ).

Whether you own or rent your equipment, QCR have baler service plans to help keep your machine in tip-top condition. Contact us today to talk to our experts.

Why Baler Servicing Matters

Waste balers are essential in many industries including warehousing, retail, manufacturing and hospitality. Many businesses treat baler servicing as a reaction to breakdowns - but this approach can be risky and expensive. Waste compacting balers work hard every day therefore unplanned downtime disrupts operations, affects productivity and may cause a serious safety hazard. An annual baler maintenance plan can prevent small issues turning into major repairs. Proactive servicing ensures compliance with the UK's Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) and Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1999 (PUWER). Failure to keep your baling machinery working correctly can invalidate insurance, result in prosecution and in worst-case scenarios result in injury.

Scheduled Vertical Baler Maintenance vs. Emergency Repairs

When it comes to keeping your vertical baler operational, proactive maintenance is always the better option compared to reactive fixes. Scheduled baler maintenance involves routine inspections, servicing and identifying potential issues before they arise. This process helps to prevent unexpected breakdowns and poor quality bale output.

In contrast, emergency baler repairs are disruptive and expensive. If a baler breaks down it can halt your waste disposal procedures and result in higher repair costs - especially if spare parts are not readily available.

That's why QCR provide periodic maintenance support tailored to the type of baler you have to keep your waste machinery running smoothly. Our thorough 37-point Hydraulic Baler Service Checklist and a 39-point Pneumatic Baler Service Checklist ensures we give your machine a full annual appraisal.

Baler Service Plans Tailored to Your Business

Our Baler Service Plans are tailored to the machine you have installed, no matter the size or type of your business or what brand of baler it is. With a team of waste baler specialists in Birmingham, London, Liverpool and other key locations across the country, our tailored waste baler servicing plans will give you complete peace of mind, no matter where you are in the UK.

Baler Aftersales Service Plans For Rented Machines

All customers hiring a baler from QCR benefit from free annual baler servicing and breakdown cover as part of their fixed price hire agreement. To ensure that each and every baler we hire to businesses operates at peak performance, our aftersales service combines detailed inspections, preventative maintenance and repairs.

Free Baler Servicing For All QCR Rental Customers

All QCR baler rental customers do not need to worry about the cost of servicing a baler because it's included in the cost of hiring the equipment. Our free waste baler servicing plans are organised in line with the recommended service schedule of your machine and undertaken by our fully qualified baler technicians. At regular intervals, our nationwide baler technicians visit your premises to inspect and service your machine at a convenient time. The full baler inspection process includes:

Completion of a detailed 39-point servicing checklist for air-powered balers
Completion of a detailed 36-point servicing checklist for electric balers
Preventative maintenance tasks
Free replacement parts if something needs to be changed
Free labour & travel time to your premises

By not having to pay for servicing, QCR Rental customers are protected from the rising costs of spare parts and labour.

Free Baler Breakdown Cover For All QCR Rental Customers

All customers who have a current rental agreement with QCR, enjoy the peace of mind knowing that in the event of a breakdown, once we've been notified, we'll be with you as soon as possible to get it working again. As long as the issue hasn't been caused by mis-use of the machine, in which case we'll be happy to organise some free re-training for you, the costs associated with the breakdown will be covered by us.

Parts and labour to fix the issue free of charge
No costly call out fees
Nationwide breakdown cover response in under 72 hours

Please contact us to ask any questions relating to QCR's Equipment breakdown repair service in the UK.

Free Baler Training For All QCR Rental Customers

All QCR rental customers receive free ongoing operator training so in the event of a key person from your team leaving your business, we'll be happy to train their replacement for free. Free refresher training is also available. Training can be delivered in person or virtually. Our machines have been designed to be robust and also simple to operate and will always be supplied with jargon-free instructions.

Free Baler Risk Assessments For All QCR Customers

All QCR customers receive free baler risk assessments on completion of the installation of the machine. Method statements and training certificates are also provided free of charge on request.

Frequently Asked Questions About Baler Servicing and Maintenance

1. How often should my Baler be serviced?

Consult the machine manual supplied with your baler to find out how often it should be serviced. We recommend vertical waste balers should be serviced every 6-12 months. For heavily used balers, especially those installed in harsh environments, more frequent servicing is required to ensure optimal performance, reduce the risk of breakdowns and maintain compliance with waste machinery safety regulations.

2. Why do I need to maintain my Baler?

Baler maintenance includes cleaning, lubrication and inspection of key components. The key reasons you should maintain a baler are:

Reduced Repairs: Regular maintenance identifies potential issues such as oil leaks before they become more serious.
Ensure Safety and Legal Compliance: UK businesses are required by law to keep maintenance records for waste machinery to comply with PUWER safety regulations.
Minimises Downtime: A well-maintained baler operates more efficiently and is less likely to breakdown.
Reduce Risk of Workplace Accidents: Inbuilt baler safety features such as the emergency stop button and interlocks should be fully tested as part of the maintenance process to ensure they work properly. Unclear or damaged safety stickers can be replaced.
Optimal Bale Output: A properly working baler produces better quality bales. Bales are that are better secured, more uniform and contain less contamination are easier to recycle and have the potential to achieve higher rebates.

The easiest way to maintain your baler is to purchase a Baler Service Agreement from QCR. The cost of the plan is linked to the age, location and model of your baler. Get in contact with our friendly team for a quotation and details of what is included.

3. How To Tell When a Baler Needs Servicing?

Balers should be serviced at regular intervals as per the guidelines supplied in the user manual. You should arrange for a qualified technician to inspect the hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical systems within a baler every 6-12 months to ensure it is operating correctly.

4. What's Included In a Baler Service?

A comprehensive baler service process should include the following steps:

Visual inspection to check there is no bends, cracks distortion or wear
Testing of bale-out mechanism
Lubrication of moving parts
Removal of debris and cleaning
Tension adjustment
Hydraulic system check including pressure testing and oil level check
Electrical inspection
Part replacement
Calibration

5. Who Should Service my Baling Machine?

To get the highest level of support, we recommend choosing an experienced baler engineer who is accredited by the Alcumus SafeContractor™ scheme. QCR Recycling Equipment has been accredited by Alcumus SafeContractor™ for many years due to our high standards in safety, quality and corporate sustainability. A quick call or email to our office will get you a price for a service and details about our popular service plans for recycling equipment.

Hiring an independent contractor to service your machine can be fraught with uncertainty as you need to ensure that they are competent to complete the task but also comply with important regulations such as health, safety and modern slavery. QCR has serviced Waste Balers for over 25 years, there is rarely an issue that we haven't seen before.

6. What are the benefits of preventative baler maintenance?

Through preventative baler maintenance, you'll not only reduce the likelihood of unexpected breakdowns, you'll also extend the lifespan of your machinery. Other benefits of preventative baler maintenance include: