HAMMEL celebrates at IFAT 2026 in Munich
The success story of HAMMEL began in 1996 in Bad Salzungen, Thuringia/Germany. In a small production hall, manufacturing, painting, storage and offices were combined under one roof. A team of just ten employees assembled the first “Original” HAMMEL shredders during the day – and painted them at night. Processes were efficient, space was limited, but the drive to innovate was strong: every square meter was used, every idea mattered.
From a small workshop to a global player
It quickly became clear that the existing facilities would not be sufficient to support the company’s growth and technical ambitions in the long term. Expansion followed consistently and step by step. New production areas, modern warehouse and logistics facilities as well as additional office buildings were created and continuously adapted to growing requirements.
A visible symbol of this development is the company’s distinctive red connecting bridge, which links several buildings today. It stands for HAMMEL’s philosophy: not only developing visions but turning them into reality through engineering expertise and in-house implementation.
Today, 30 years after its foundation, HAMMEL has developed into an international, export-oriented machinery manufacturer. The company’s headquarters in Bad Salzungen now cover more than 61 000 m², comprising multiple production and storage halls that optimally integrate manufacturing, assembly, painting, material storage and logistics.
Special emphasis is placed on the demonstration area with viewing tower, where practical tests using customer materials are carried out. HAMMEL also hosts annual demo days, providing customers with hands-on insight into machine performance and process solutions.
Product portfolio = a wide range of solutions
At the core of the HAMMEL portfolio are three product segments that have set industry standards for decades:
HAMMEL Primary Shredders – The powerful start of every process
HAMMEL’s high-performance, slow-speed primary shredders are designed for fast and robust size reduction of heavy and bulky materials. Whether waste wood and fresh wood, bulky waste, commercial waste, aluminium or metal-containing materials – the primary shredders reliably prepare the material for downstream processing. With powerful drive systems, durable shredding shafts and modular designs, they form the foundation of efficient recycling plants.
HAMMEL Secondary Shredders – Precision for the highest demands
After coarse shredding comes fine processing. HAMMEL secondary shredders de liver precise performance and high throughput when defined particle sizes and recyclable end products are required. Especially in wood processing, they achieve excellent results – reliable, flexible in application and easy to maintain.
HAMMEL plant engineering – System solutions for defined output qualities
In plant engineering, HAMMEL designs and implements custom-configured complete systems tailored precisely to process- and material-specific requirements worldwide. The portfolio ranges from stationary plants for wood and waste processing to integrated shredding, separation, sorting and conveying concepts for complex waste streams, as well as customized solutions for metal processing and separation.
A key focus is the efficient separation of different material fractions and the production of defined, homogeneous output qualities. Through the targeted combination of primary and secondary shredding with mechanical and sensor-based separation technologies, defined grain sizes and high material purities are achieved. Components such as primary shredders, secondary shredders, screening and separation systems as well as conveying technology are integrated into fully controlled, process-stable plants, ensuring high availability and economical operation.
Multifunctionality – One concept, many applications
HAMMEL solutions serve three key industries:
Wood – from waste wood and production residues to complex wood mixtures, ensuring clean fractions and high recycling quality
Waste – robust, reliable and low-maintenance systems for municipal and industrial waste processing
Metal – efficient processing of demanding metal-containing materials for optimal separation and material recovery
The HAMMEL Two-shaft principle – A distinctive feature
A central success factor of HAMMEL machines is the globally proven two-shaft principle with counter-rotating, slow-running shredding shafts. These counter-rotating shafts actively draw in the material, mechanically open it and reduce its size. Low shaft speeds ensure high torque transmission, low wear and controlled, reproducible shredding – even for heterogeneous and contaminant-laden material streams. This technical concept has stood for maximum shredding performance and energy-efficient operation for more than 30 years. What is often copied today originated at HAMMEL. The company represents the “Original” – technically mature and proven in real-world applications.
Continuous shaft development focuses on multifunctionality. With a defined shaft and tool configuration, different material types can be processed efficiently without time-consuming changeovers. Tool geometry, cutter arrangement and shaft parameters ensure stable processes across varying input materials.
Everything from one Source
HAMMEL covers the entire production chain from a single source: from the initial concept and detailed planning through engineering and steel construction to final assembly and commissioning. This approach ensures that every machine is technically sound, robustly built and perfectly suited for practical use – from the first design sketch to worldwide operation.
Trends = Innovation as a standard
With the HAMMEL VB 950 DK – RED GIANT and the world’s first mobile scrap processing plant, HAMMEL has demonstrated that innovation is a standard – not an exception.
Key development trends include:
State-of-the-art, energy-efficient drive technologies and electromobility
Compliance with the latest emission and exhaust standards
Robust, durable machine design for maximum service life
Resource-efficient processes in engineering and manufacturing
HAMMEL is continuously advancing drive technology. For wood processing, a new machine with direct drive is being developed, replacing conventional belt drives. Advantages include higher efficiency, direct torque transmission, reduced maintenance requirements and optimized energy utilization.
In parallel, HAMMEL is developing machines with asynchronous drive technology, combined with shaft configurations specifically adapted to the two-shaft principle. This enables:
Precise material intake and guidance
Flexible adaptation to different material types
Energy-optimized shredding
Extended service life of shafts and machines
In addition, a mobile electric machine with crawler track system is under development, offering maximum mobility, flexible application and emission-free operation. With these developments, HAMMEL demonstrates that innovation is not a one-off step, but a continuous commitment – to high-performance, sustainable and future-proof machines in shredding and recycling technology.
HAMMEL at IFAT 2026
The latest technical innovations – including direct-drive machines for wood processing, mobile electric machines with crawler tracks and several further highlights – will be presented at IFAT 2026 in Munich from May 4 to 7, 2026.
HAMMEL celebrate 30 years the “Original”, innovation and passion with HAMMEL at Hall B6/Booth 141–240.
