Connected Baler Technology: How Smart Vertical Balers Are Changing Recycling Operations
The Role of Balers in Modern Recycling Operations
Vertical balers play a central role in recycling operations across retail, manufacturing, logistics, and industrial facilities. Cardboard, film wrap, and other recyclable materials move through these environments every day in high volumes, and balers provide the most efficient way to consolidate that material into manageable, transport-ready bales.
While balers have long been a reliable workhorse, they have also historically operated as isolated pieces of equipment. Once a bale is made and ejected, much of what happens next relies on manual processes, visual checks, handwritten logs, and assumptions about weight, material type, and utilization. As recycling programs grow more complex and expectations around reporting, efficiency, and sustainability increase, those gaps become more costly.
This is where connected baler technology fundamentally changes the equation.
Introducing the Marathon Connected Baler
The Marathon Connected Baler is a purpose-built smart vertical baler that integrates advanced digital technology directly into the equipment. Rather than adding external devices or retrofitting systems after installation, the connected baler is designed from the start to capture critical data at the point where recycling actually happens.
By combining Marathon’s proven, high-performance vertical baler platform with integrated connectivity and 3rd Eye digital intelligence, the connected baler delivers continuous visibility into baling activity, material movement, and equipment utilization, without disrupting daily operations.
Built for Demanding Environments
Marathon Equipment has earned its reputation by building balers that perform reliably in demanding, high-use environments. Supermarkets, big box stores, distribution centers, retail back rooms, manufacturing facilities, and logistics operations place constant strain on equipment through heavy material volumes, inconsistent loading, and continuous cycles.
The connected baler builds on this foundation. The structure, hydraulics, and controls are designed to withstand real-world operating conditions, while the integrated technology components are protected and supported to ensure dependable performance. This combination allows facilities to gain advanced insight without sacrificing the durability and reliability they expect from their baler.
The Technology Inside the Connected Baler
At the core of the smart connected baler is a set of integrated hardware and digital systems that work together to capture, transmit, and organize data.
Load cells measure the weight of material during the baling process, providing accurate bale weight data without manual scales or estimates. A digital indicator displays this information clearly at the baler, giving operators immediate feedback as bales are formed.
Integrated digital hardware securely transmits data through a cellular connection to the cloud, supported by an antenna designed to maintain reliable connectivity in industrial environments. Structural and electrical components are engineered to house and protect the system, ensuring long-term performance.
An integrated printer produces labels that can be affixed to each bale at the time of ejection. These labels support material identification, traceability, and downstream tracking without relying on handwritten tags or separate labeling processes.
Turning Baler Activity Into Usable Information
The true value of a connected baler is not simply that it collects data, but that it turns everyday baling activity into information that can be used to improve operations.
Through the 3rd Eye portal interface, equipment information is automatically collected and made accessible in one centralized view. Users can see bale weights, track equipment status, monitor utilization, and receive real-time notifications related to operating conditions.
This visibility eliminates guesswork. Managers no longer need to estimate how many bales are being produced, how heavy they are, or how frequently the baler is being used. Instead, they can rely on accurate, time-stamped data captured directly from the equipment.
Solving Common Baler Challenges
Traditional baler operations introduce a number of challenges that often go unrecognized. Bale weights vary widely depending on operator technique, material type, and loading consistency. Without accurate measurement, facilities may under-value recyclable commodities or struggle to reconcile revenue.
Manual tracking creates gaps in accountability. Missed pickups, light loads, and underutilized equipment are difficult to identify without reliable data. Maintenance planning is often reactive, based on issues that surface after downtime has already occurred.
The connected baler addresses these challenges by providing continuous insight into how the baler is being used. Facilities can identify patterns in bale weight, understand material flows, and spot inefficiencies that would otherwise remain hidden.
Waste Metering and Material Traceability
Accurate waste metering is increasingly important for both operational and financial reasons. The connected baler enables precise measurement of each bale produced, along with the ability to associate that weight with a specific material type.
This supports more accurate recycling revenue tracking, reduces disputes with haulers or processors, and improves confidence in reported volumes. Over time, facilities gain a clearer picture of material trends and recovery performance.
The ability to label and track bales also improves material traceability, helping organizations better manage contamination risks and maintain consistent material quality.
Improving Productivity Without Adding Labor
Many recycling programs rely heavily on manual checks and administrative efforts. Staff may be required to log bale counts, record weights, or verify service activity, tasks that take time and introduce inconsistency.
Connected baler technology reduces this burden by automating data collection and reporting. Equipment status, utilization metrics, and bale production details are available remotely, allowing teams to focus on higher-value activities rather than routine monitoring.
Real-time notifications help ensure that issues are addressed promptly, without requiring constant on-site supervision.
Asset Utilization and Maintenance Planning
Understanding how often a baler is used and how heavily it is loaded is critical to maintaining performance over time. The connected baler provides utilization metrics that support better maintenance planning and more predictable service intervals.
By identifying usage patterns and trends, facilities can plan maintenance proactively rather than reacting to breakdowns. This helps extend equipment life, reduce unplanned downtime, and improve overall reliability.
Supporting Sustainability Goals
Sustainability initiatives increasingly require accurate, defensible data. The connected baler provides reliable metrics that support landfill diversion tracking, recycling volume reporting, and internal sustainability measurement.
Because data is captured directly from the baler, reporting is more consistent and easier to validate. This supports internal goals, external reporting requirements, and greater transparency across the organization.
Designed for a Range of Applications
The connected baler is well-suited for operations across retail and box stores, manufacturing facilities, logistics centers, and refuse environments. Any operation that relies on vertical balers to manage recyclable material can benefit from the visibility and control that connected technology provides.
By delivering insight without adding complexity to daily workflows, the connected baler fits naturally into existing operations while opening the door to smarter decision making.
A Smarter Approach to Baling Operations
The connected baler represents a shift in how recycling equipment is viewed. Instead of operating as a standalone machine, the baler becomes a source of actionable information that supports efficiency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
For organizations looking to improve recycling performance, better understand material movement, and bring greater clarity to back-of-house operations, the Marathon Connected Baler offers a practical and forward-looking solution.
Baler Visibility Where It Matters Most
Baling operations have traditionally been out of sight and out of mind, yet they play a critical role in recycling success. By bringing connectivity and intelligence directly into the baler, Marathon and 3rd Eye are changing that dynamic.
The result is not just a smarter machine, but a clearer understanding of how recycling operations function day-to-day, and how they can continue to improve over time.
