Recycling Equipment

What Recycling Equipment does

Recycling Equipment, Inc. (REI), founded in 1994 and headquartered in Newton, North Carolina, is a privately held industrial equipment manufacturer and dealer serving waste and recycling operators across the United States. The company designs and builds proprietary equipment in North Carolina, including the REI-ZR guillotine roll shear series and REI DS dual shaft shredders, and distributes complementary lines from Harris American, Bramidan, AES, and Strautmann covering horizontal and vertical balers, pneumatic conveyance systems, conveyors, sort systems, and dewatering systems. Its customer base spans paper mills, manufacturing and packaging facilities, food and beverage plants, scrapyards, municipal and government operations, textile processors, and wood and pallet operations, with named enterprise logos including Coca-Cola, General Mills, International Paper, Sonoco, Smurfit Westrock, Abbott Nutrition, and the US Army.

REI monetizes through one-time equipment sales (new and pre-owned/refurbished), OEM and aftermarket parts, and recurring professional services including factory-trained installation, preventative maintenance contracts, emergency repair, and operator training. Pricing is quote-based with multi-stage payment terms (e.g., 50% on order for partner equipment; 40% pre-shipment plus Net 30 for REI-manufactured units), and revenue is generated through a direct enterprise field-sales motion augmented by inside-sales quote requests, trade show engagement, and a nationwide service technician network.

The company has pursued an active roll-up strategy, acquiring Advanced Equipment Sales (AES) in Souderton, Pennsylvania in September 2025 and Midwest Recycling Equipment (MRE) in La Porte, Indiana in July 2026, growing from two to four US locations covering the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, and Southwest. Leadership has been expanded concurrently with four recent additions including a VP of Sales Strategy & Market Expansion and regional operational directors, supporting a national expansion posture and a formalized refurbished-equipment hub. Ownership remains concentrated with founder Scott Sharp and CEO Dean Burrow, with no external funding rounds disclosed.

Name

Recycling Equipment

Legal name

Recycling Equipment, Inc.

Website

https://gogreenrei.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Recycling Equipment, Inc. (REI) is a privately held US manufacturer and distributor of industrial recycling equipment (shredders, balers, roll shears, conveyors, dewatering systems), serving paper, packaging, food and beverage, scrap metal, municipal, and textile customers via four US locations and nationwide service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Recycling Equipment

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (333310), Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42384)

SIC

Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080)

akta.pro primary industry

Plastic Recycling Equipment & Technology Providers (Sorting, Washing, Extrusion) (EUAIAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial Packaging Waste Services (Pallets, Cardboard, Film, IBCs/Drums—Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAD)

Keywords

• Industrial recycling equipment
• Waste processing machinery
• Balers and shredders
• Material handling systems
• Recycling solutions manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Newton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. New Equipment Sales: Sale of new industrial recycling equipment including balers, shredders, conveyors, roll shears, and pneumatic conveyance systems from REI and partner manufacturers Harris American, Bramidan, AES, and Strautmann.
2. Pre-owned/Refurbished Equipment: Sale of inspected, serviced, and tested pre-owned recycling equipment including balers, shredders, conveyors, and roll shears with full inventory maintained.
3. Service and Repair: Factory-trained technicians provide emergency service, preventative maintenance, equipment rebuilds, and field installation/testing services nationwide.
4. Replacement Parts: OEM and aftermarket parts inventory including shear/baler blades, hydraulic seals, belts, motors, filters, and consumables for all major recycling equipment brands.
5. Installation Services: System integration, installation, startup, and operator training services for complete turnkey recycling system deployments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

REI manufactures and distributes industrial recycling equipment including horizontal balers, vertical balers, dual shaft shredders, guillotine roll shears, pneumatic conveyance systems, conveyors, sort systems, and dewatering systems. The company also sells pre-owned/refurbished equipment and provides nationwide installation, preventative maintenance, replacement parts, and turnkey system integration services. Customers are enterprise facilities in paper, packaging, food & beverage, manufacturing, waste/scrap, and government sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AES AirShark: Compact, high-capacity rotary material separator for scrap conveyance, designed as a modern alternative to cyclones and traditional screen separators.

Products and services

• Vertical Balers Vertical balers for compacting recyclable materials such as cardboard, paper, and plastics into dense bales for storage and transport. Sold to enterprise facilities in retail, manufacturing, distribution, and recycling operations.
• Horizontal Balers Horizontal balers for high-volume baling operations in paper mills, recycling plants, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities. Designed for continuous operation and integration with conveyor feed systems.
• Industrial Shredders & Grinders REI DS Dual Shaft Shredder counter-rotating twin shaft shredders, manufactured in North Carolina, with cutting chambers from 13" x 21" to 40" x 65" and motors from 10-30 HP to 100-200 HP. Includes automatic overload and jam protection. Used for processing paper, plastics, textiles, wood, and metal scrap.
• Guillotine Roll Shears REI-ZR heavy-duty guillotine roll shears manufactured in North Carolina, designed for cutting paper rolls, paperboard, and similar materials. Available in S, ST, and SC configurations with blade lengths from 48" to 132" and opening heights from 30" to 88". Used by paper mills and converting plants.
• Pneumatic Conveyance Systems Pneumatic air conveyance systems for moving scrap, trim, and dust through recycling and manufacturing operations. Includes the AES AirShark rotary material separator (models AS-10 through AS-64, handling 10,000 to 64,000 CFM). Sourced via REI's partnership with Advanced Equipment Sales.
• Conveyors, Tippers & Sort Systems Sorting systems, conveyors, and tippers for moving, sorting, and feeding recyclable materials throughout processing facilities. Custom engineered through the AES conveyance division.
• Dewatering Systems (LiquiDrainer) Strautmann LiquiDrainer screw-press dewatering systems for separating liquids from packaging, PET bottles, aluminum cans, and other beverage containers. REI is the U.S. distributor and installer. Used by beverage and food processing plants.
• Pre-owned / Refurbished Equipment Inspected, serviced, and tested pre-owned recycling equipment including balers, shredders, conveyors, and roll shears from major brands. Provides cost-effective alternatives for capital-constrained buyers.
• Service, Repair & Replacement Parts Nationwide service and repair programs including emergency service, preventative maintenance contracts, equipment rebuilds, and field installation/testing. Includes OEM and aftermarket replacement parts inventory (shear/baler blades, hydraulic seals, belts, motors, filters) for all major recycling equipment brands.
• Turnkey System Integration & Installation End-to-end turnkey recycling system design, integration, installation, startup, and operator training services. REI plans, designs, and delivers complete recycling systems combining REI-manufactured and partner-manufactured equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced capital costs through refurbished equipment programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Midwest Recycling Equipment (MRE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 July 2026Acquired in July 2026, MRE is a trusted provider of recycling and waste handling equipment serving Midwest and beyond. Specializes in new and pre-owned balers, compactors, conveyors, shredders and complete material handling systems with strong commitment to reliability, customer support and long-term partnerships. Creates dedicated hub for refurbished equipment.
• StrautmanncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2025Partnership with Strautmann showcased at EATS 2025 in Chicago. REI is a US distributor and installer of Strautmann's LiquiDrainer dewatering systems, the industry standard for separating liquids from packaging, PET bottles, aluminum cans, and other beverage containers. Joint marketing and product integration at industry events.
• Advanced Equipment Sales (AES)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2025Acquired in September 2025, AES is a leading full-service provider of integrated conveyance systems specializing in scrap, trim, and dust systems. Founded in 1989, AES engineers custom scrap systems and works as a partner in process improvement. Founders Jeff and Jill Dietterich continue in leadership roles guiding AES team and business in day-to-day operations. Located in Souderton, PA.
• Harris American CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationManufacturing partner providing horizontal balers (Titan 6-CV, DC 6343) and other recycling equipment. Harris American equipment featured in multiple REI installations and pre-owned inventory.
• Quincy RecyclingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry partner supporting the annual REI Charity Golf Classic event benefiting Sipe's Orchard Home.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Harris American Company: Harris American is a North American manufacturer of horizontal balers and baling equipment (Titan, DC series) that competes directly with REI's baler portfolio and is also listed as REI's manufacturing partner. Closest competitor on baler equipment line.
• American Baler Company: American Baler manufactures industrial balers (PAC, DC series) that compete with REI's new and pre-owned baler offerings. Direct competitor featured in REI's refurbishment inventory.
• Bramidan: Bramidan is a Danish baler manufacturer with a US footprint that competes with REI across vertical and horizontal baler segments. Listed as REI's partner brand and competes in the same RFPs for baling equipment.
• Vecoplan: Vecoplan manufactures industrial shredders and grinders for recycling, plastics, and waste applications - directly competing with REI's REI DS dual shaft shredder line. Comparable US-installed base and customization model.
• Shred-Tech: Shred-Tech designs and manufactures industrial shredders and shredding systems used in recycling, waste, and security destruction applications. Competes with REI shredders in paper, plastic, and waste streams.
• Allegheny Shredders: Allegheny Shredders manufactures single rotor, dual rotor, and primary shredders for recycling, scrap, and waste reduction. Direct competitor to REI DS shredder series, especially in metal and scrapyard segments.
• Bulk Handling Systems (BHS): BHS designs and manufactures integrated sorting and material recovery facility systems (MRFs) including screens, optical sorters, and conveyors. Competes with REI on integrated recycling systems for paper, packaging, and MSW applications.
• Machinex Technologies: Machinex is a Canadian manufacturer of recycling equipment including balers, conveyors, optical sorters, and full MRF systems. Comparable product breadth and turnkey system integration to REI.
• Marathon Equipment: Marathon Equipment manufactures stationary and self-contained compactors, balers, and transfer station equipment for waste and recycling. Direct overlap with REI's baling and material handling portfolio.
• Komptech Americas: Komptech is an Austrian manufacturer of shredders, screeners, and turnkey composting/biomass processing systems with North American operations. Overlaps with REI in shredding, screening, and turnkey recycling systems.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gogreenrei
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/RecyclingEquipmentInc
• Facebookfacebook.com/GoGreenREI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/recycling-equipment-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Recycling Equipment