Vertical balers and iron wire: the winning combination according to Bottaro and Rino Tullis

How to choose the right iron wire for vertical balers? What materials can be compacted? These are some of the topics covered in this exclusive interview with Paola Tullis and Alberto Bottaro.

When two historic companies, each specialized in their field, join forces, valuable projects emerge. This is the case of the collaboration between Bottaro, a leader in the production of iron wire for industrial applications, and Rino Tullis, a benchmark company in the design and manufacturing of vertical balers.

In this interview, Paola Tullis – President of Rino Tullis – and Alberto Bottaro – President of Bottaro – share their expertise to discuss the strategic role of vertical balers, how they work, and the importance of selecting the right iron wire to ensure optimal performance.

A conversation between two Italian companies that have been investing in innovation, quality, and sustainability for years to provide increasingly efficient solutions for their customers.

Vertical balers and iron wire: a dialogue between Paola Tullis and Alberto Bottaro

Paola, let’s start with the basics: what is the purpose of a vertical baler, and why is it so important for businesses?

Paola: As the name suggests, balers are used to compress waste materials into compact bales. This volume reduction allows companies to optimize space, lower transportation costs, and implement environmentally sustainable practices.

How does a baler work exactly? Can you describe the process step by step?

Paola: The operation of a baler is quite simple and intuitive: it starts with loading waste into the compaction chamber, where a piston exerts downward pressure on the materials, whether packaging or production waste. This pressure significantly reduces the waste volume—by 50% to 80%—and the compressed material is then bound together to form a compact and stable bale.

What types of materials can be baled? Are there any limitations, or can virtually any type of waste be compacted?

Paola: Balers can compact a wide range of materials. Specifically, Rino Tullis balers are multifunctional and can handle materials such as paper and cardboard, plastic and plastic casings, liquid containers, polystyrene, jute bags, leather scraps, fabrics, semi-finished products, cans, tins, expanded materials, large and highly resistant materials, electronic waste, and more.

What are the main benefits for a company that chooses to adopt a vertical baler?

Paola: A baler offers tangible benefits for businesses. It reduces operating costs associated with waste disposal, optimizes space while improving organization, hygiene, and safety. It also facilitates material recycling, reduces CO2 emissions through transport efficiency, and ensures operator safety.

In which industries are balers most commonly used? Are there any sectors where they are essential?

Paola: Many industries can benefit from using a baler, including textile, leather, mechanical, oil, healthcare, tourism, food, hospitality, catering, large-scale retail, and public sectors. Additionally, they are widely used in steel, paper, wood, footwear, chemical, cosmetic, furniture, packaging, cement, and supermarket industries.

Rino Tullis balers stand out in the market. What are the key factors that set them apart from competitors?

Paola: The difference between a standard baler and a Rino Tullis baler is evident to operators. However, an untrained eye may not notice it immediately—the superior quality lies in the details.

Rino Tullis balers feature a reinforced structure and a compaction chamber without welds on the back of the machine. Being press-bent, they ensure that any waste inserted inside does not deform the frame structure. The balers are equipped with a pressing cylinder with a larger diameter than any other baler on the market. This ensures greater pressure per cm², leading to better volume reduction, heavier bales, and, most importantly, greater machine longevity.

Furthermore, all Rino Tullis balers are 100% made in Italy, leveraging the expertise of local suppliers and collaborators, ensuring high-quality Italian craftsmanship.

Alberto, when it comes to vertical balers, the binding system plays a fundamental role in ensuring the stability of compacted bales. What are the most commonly used solutions?

Alberto: Several binding systems can be used with vertical balers. These include polypropylene (PP) straps, polyester (PET) straps, or polypropylene twine. Alternatively, you can use black annealed wire in coils, pre-cut looped wire, or innovative solutions such as Bottaro’s quick-link bars.

Why choose iron wire over other binding systems?

Alberto: There are several advantages to using iron wire for bale binding. Here are a few:

• Strength and compactness: Iron wire provides robust binding, ensuring that compacted material remains stable even after multiple handling and transportation cycles.
• Durability: Iron wire is the ideal solution for binding bales of sharp materials (such as tinplate) that might cut through less resistant binding systems.
• Cost-effectiveness: Iron wire can be a cost-effective binding solution, especially when purchased in coils.
• Ease of use: Innovative solutions such as quick-link bars and Bottaro’s looped wire bars make the binding process quick and efficient for operators.
• Sustainability: Iron wire is recyclable, contributing to a more sustainable lifecycle for baled materials.
• Easy removal: Iron wire can be easily removed, facilitating material recovery for recycling or reuse, unlike PET straps or twine, which become waste after use.

Are there specific materials that particularly benefit from using iron wire for bale binding?

Alberto: Iron wire is the preferred binding system when working with materials that might cut through less resistant binding solutions (e.g., tinplate), materials with memory or high expansion rates, or exceptionally heavy bales.

Alberto, what factors determine the choice of wire diameter based on the material being baled?

Alberto: The wire diameter depends primarily on the hardness of the material being compressed—harder materials require a thicker wire to ensure secure and stable binding. Bale weight also plays a crucial role; heavier bales need thicker wire to maintain compactness during transport and handling. Every case is unique, so it is always advisable to consult Bottaro’s Sales Specialists to determine the most suitable solution.

Paola, when a customer chooses a vertical baler, the tying system also plays a key role in achieving the best results. Would you recommend Bottaro’s iron wire to your clients? And why?

We often recommend Bottaro products to our customers who purchase Rino Tullis vertical balers. This is because we are very familiar with these products, we have tested them, and we can confidently guarantee their performance. But also because we believe that Bottaro stands for reliability and professionalism—a historic Italian company that, over the years, has built a cutting-edge, high-quality, and dependable production system.

Alberto, which products do you recommend for Rino Tullis vertical balers?

Alberto: For those looking for an efficient and versatile solution, Bottaro’s looped iron wire is an excellent choice. This product helps reduce waste while simplifying and speeding up the operator’s work. It is ideal for various applications, offering practicality and reliability.

On the other hand, Bottaro’s Quick Link bars are the perfect solution for those prioritizing speed and ease of use. This technology allows operators to tie bales three to five times faster than with other options, representing a significant operational advantage, even though it comes at a higher cost. It is particularly suitable for expanded materials, where it delivers superior performance.

Both solutions are available in two variants:

• Black annealed oiled wire, which does not rust.
• Galvanized wire, which is not only rust-resistant but also cleaner.

The latter is particularly recommended for preventing stains on delicate materials, such as fabrics, or when working with high-value materials. In these cases, galvanized wire is always the best choice to ensure optimal protection of the compacted product.

Bottaro and Rino Tullis have been working together for a long time. What do these two companies have in common?

Paola and Alberto: Bottaro and Rino Tullis are both historic, family-run Italian companies. There are many similarities between our two businesses, as both have invested for years in product quality, making attention to detail their key strength. At the same time, we share a strong belief in the importance of people and teamwork.

Both Bottaro and Rino Tullis carefully select their teams to provide not only highly qualified support but also an empathetic and collaborative approach. Additionally, both companies have long prioritized sustainability and are deeply committed to respecting environmental resources.

How long have you been collaborating, and do you share any customers?

Paola and Alberto: Bottaro and Rino Tullis have been working together for years, sometimes informally and at other times through structured partnerships. Many customers who purchase Rino Tullis balers also use Bottaro wire solutions.

One example is an Italian company specializing in plastic processing, based in the province of Parma. This business operates with a combination of two Rino Tullis TR 40/2P-A vertical balers and Bottaro iron wire, ensuring efficiency and reliability in their operations.

A partnership between innovation and tradition for a more efficient future

The collaboration between Bottaro and Rino Tullis is not just a business partnership—it represents the convergence of two Italian excellences that share values, innovation, and a strong focus on quality. This interview highlights the strategic role of vertical balers in waste management and the importance of iron wire in ensuring safe, strong, and sustainable packaging.

Looking ahead, both companies will continue to invest in research and development to create increasingly efficient solutions that meet market demands and contribute to a more sustainable industrial supply chain. A perfect balance between experience and technology that once again proves how Made in Italy can offer uncompromising innovation.

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