Gradeall International manufactures the MK2 tire baler at its facility in Dungannon, Northern Ireland, and ships it to recycling operations across more than 100 countries. This guide covers how the MKII reaches international destinations, what shipping methods make global delivery practical, and what buyers need to know before placing an order.
Waste tire volumes are rising in every major market, from North America and Western Europe to the Gulf States, South Africa, and Southeast Asia. For recycling operators looking to process those tires efficiently, the right baling equipment is often not available locally. Sourcing from a specialist manufacturer and shipping internationally is frequently the only practical route to getting production-grade tire baling capacity on site.
This is the reality Gradeall International works with every day. With equipment operating in more than 100 countries, the company has built its shipping and logistics approach around making international delivery as straightforward as domestic supply. The MKII tire baler was designed with export in mind: its physical dimensions and weight are engineered to fit standard 20-foot shipping containers without modification, which removes the single largest variable cost in international freight.
Getting the logistics right matters beyond cost. Delays in equipment delivery affect production planning, staffing, and contracts. A baler that arrives damaged, or that cannot be commissioned quickly, costs far more than the freight saving that prompted a poor shipping choice. The approach Gradeall uses with the MKII has been tested across dozens of international deployments and refined over nearly 40 years of manufacturing experience.
The MKII tire baler reaches international customers through two primary methods: standard 20-foot shipping containers for sea freight and curtain side trailers for road-accessible European and UK destinations. Both approaches have specific advantages depending on destination, timeline, and the additional equipment being shipped alongside the baler.
Container shipping is the primary method for most international MKII deliveries. The baler is loaded securely into a 20-foot standard container at the Gradeall factory in Dungannon, then transported by road to the nearest port before being loaded onto a vessel.
Using standard container dimensions is a deliberate design decision. Standard 20-foot containers are available at virtually every major port in the world, handled by infrastructure that exists independently of any specialist transport requirement. This keeps freight rates predictable, eliminates surcharges for oversized or non-standard loads, and means the container can move by sea, rail, or road without re-handling. For buyers in markets where specialist heavy transport is expensive or unreliable, this matters considerably.
The container also provides genuine protection during transit. Unlike open flatbed or curtain side transport, a sealed container shields the baler from weather, port handling damage, and transit contamination. Hydraulic components, electrical control systems, and the baling chamber itself arrive at destination in the same condition they left the factory.
For the buyer, container shipping also simplifies import documentation. Standard container shipments have well-understood customs procedures in most markets, with established freight forwarder networks handling clearance. Gradeall’s experience shipping to more than 100 countries means the team can advise on documentation requirements, HS codes, and typical clearance timelines for most destinations.
For deliveries within Europe and the UK, curtain side trailers offer an alternative that simplifies loading and unloading at the destination site. The retractable curtain sides allow the baler to be loaded from the side rather than through the rear doors, which makes positioning easier on sites where crane access is limited or where the unloading area is constrained.
Curtain side delivery also allows for faster turnaround at both ends: loading at the factory and unloading at the customer site. For time-sensitive deployments, this can reduce the overall delivery window compared to container shipping with port dwell time.
For destinations further afield, or where port infrastructure makes container handling the most cost-effective option, container shipping remains the standard method.
One of the practical advantages of the container shipping approach is that the MKII tire baler does not have to travel alone. Gradeall regularly ships additional tire recycling equipment in the same container, allowing buyers to take delivery of a complete processing setup in a single shipment rather than coordinating multiple freight movements.
This matters because tire baling operations rarely run on a baler alone. For operations processing car tires at volume, a sidewall cutter allows operators to remove the tire sidewall before baling, which improves bale density, increases output speed, and supports compliance with PAS 108 (the British Standard for tire bales used in civil engineering applications). Truck tire operations benefit from a dedicated truck tire sidewall cutter designed for the larger dimensions and tougher construction of commercial vehicle tires.
A typical container shipment to an operation setting up a new tire recycling line might include:
Shipping all of this in a single container is typically more cost-effective than separate freight movements, and it means everything arrives together. The buyer can commission the full processing line at once rather than running a partial operation while waiting for outstanding equipment.
Conor Murphy, Director of Gradeall International, notes: “We’ve always designed the MKII to work as part of a complete processing setup, not as a standalone machine. Shipping the baler alongside a sidewall cutter and the consumables needed to get started means our customers are operational from day one, not waiting for the rest of their equipment to catch up.”
The MKII tire baler has been delivered successfully to a wide range of international markets, including Spain, Estonia, and South Africa. These deliveries confirm that the container shipping approach works across different port infrastructure environments, different import regimes, and different site conditions at the point of delivery.
Each international delivery provides Gradeall with operational data on how the baler performs in different climatic conditions, with different tire compositions, and with operators who may be working with baling equipment for the first time. That accumulated experience feeds back into the support materials and commissioning guidance Gradeall provides with every machine.
For buyers in markets where Gradeall equipment is less established, the track record of deliveries to diverse global destinations offers a practical reference point. It’s not a theoretical claim about export capability; it’s a direct result of machines currently running in those markets.
Operations choosing a tire baler for the first time often want to know how other buyers in their region have found the process. Gradeall’s export case studies, available on the company’s website, cover installations across multiple geographic markets and provide honest detail on delivery timelines, commissioning experiences, and early operational performance.
Understanding the physical and operational specifications of the MKII is relevant to planning a shipment and preparing the receiving site. The table below summarizes the key figures that affect shipping logistics and site preparation.
Site preparation requirements for the MKII are covered in the installation documentation that ships with every machine. Buyers should confirm floor loading capacity, power supply specification, and forklift or crane access before the machine arrives to avoid delays in commissioning.
For operations with higher-volume requirements, Gradeall also manufactures the MK3 tire baler, which offers increased throughput capacity. Both models ship using the same container-based logistics approach.
Delivery of the MKII to site is the beginning of the commissioning process, not the end of it. Gradeall provides a standard package of installation support with every machine, covering the steps from unloading at the customer’s site through to first bale production.
Every MKII ships with a detailed installation booklet covering mechanical setup, electrical connections, hydraulic commissioning, and initial test cycles. The documentation is designed to be usable by a competent on-site maintenance or engineering team without requiring a Gradeall engineer to be physically present.
Alongside the printed documentation, Gradeall provides video tutorial resources covering the key commissioning steps. These are particularly useful in markets where English is not the first language of the operating team, since a visual walkthrough of the commissioning sequence reduces the risk of misinterpretation.
Remote support is available as standard. Gradeall’s technical team can assist with commissioning questions by phone, email, or video call, working through any issues that arise during the setup process. For operations where the commissioning team has limited experience with hydraulic baling equipment, this remote support can significantly reduce the time from delivery to first production run.
For larger operations, or where the buyer prefers to have a Gradeall engineer physically present for commissioning, on-site visits can be arranged. This is more common for installations involving multiple machines or where the operation is integrating the MKII into an existing processing line with conveyors, shredders, or downstream handling equipment. Contact Gradeall directly to discuss on-site commissioning options for your installation.
Once the machine is commissioned, operators need to understand how to run it safely and efficiently. Gradeall provides operator training materials covering safe loading procedures, cycle management, bale ejection, wire tying, and routine maintenance tasks.
Operator training is worth investing time in from day one. The MKII’s output rate of up to 6 PAS 108-compliant bales per hour is achievable when the machine is run correctly and tires are prepared appropriately. Operations that skip structured operator training typically see lower throughput and higher maintenance call frequency in the first months of operation.
For international installations where a Gradeall engineer visits for commissioning, hands-on operator training is typically conducted at the same time, covering both the commissioning team and the operators who will run the machine day-to-day.
Making production-grade tire baling equipment accessible to recycling operations worldwide has a direct effect on what happens to waste tires in those markets. Tires that cannot be processed efficiently tend to be stockpiled, landfilled, or managed through lower-value routes. Baled tires, by contrast, can be used in civil engineering applications (where PAS 108 bales meet structural requirements for embankments and retaining structures), converted to fuel through pyrolysis, or fed into further shredding and granulation processes.
Each MKII installation represents a step toward a more complete tire recycling infrastructure in its market. The machine reduces tire volume by approximately 80%, which directly affects the economics of transport and storage. Recycling operations that can process tires into dense, stackable bales can handle significantly larger volumes without proportionally larger storage footprints, and can transport processed material more cost-effectively to end users.
For operations working toward compliance with national or regional tire disposal regulations, the MKII provides a documented processing output. PAS 108 compliance, in particular, is increasingly referenced in international markets as a benchmark for tire bale quality in construction applications, even outside the UK where the standard originated.
The container-based approach keeps costs predictable, protects the machine during transit, and allows additional equipment to ship in the same container. Standard 20-foot containers are handled efficiently at ports worldwide, which means the baler can reach markets that don’t have specialist heavy transport infrastructure. Buyers also benefit from Gradeall’s experience with import documentation across more than 100 countries, which reduces delays at customs.
The baler is secured within the container using appropriate blocking and bracing at the Gradeall factory in Dungannon. The sealed container protects the machine from weather and port-handling risks throughout the journey. Hydraulic systems are prepared for transit, and the machine arrives ready to begin commissioning without requiring significant remedial work.
Yes. Sidewall cutters, tread cutters, baler wire, and spare parts can all ship in the same container as the MKII. This is common practice for buyers setting up a new tire processing line, as it means all equipment arrives together and can be commissioned as a complete system rather than in stages. Gradeall’s team can advise on container loading plans for specific equipment combinations.
Every MKII ships with a detailed installation booklet and access to video tutorial resources. Remote support from Gradeall’s technical team is available as standard throughout commissioning. For operations that require an engineer on site, Gradeall can arrange a commissioning visit. Contact the team directly to discuss your specific requirements.
The MKII processes car tires, van tires, and light truck tires. For whole truck tires, pre-cutting with a dedicated truck tire sidewall cutter improves bale quality and throughput. OTR (off-the-road) tires used in mining and construction applications require specialist processing equipment; Gradeall manufactures a range of OTR tire processing machines for these applications.
The MKII produces bales that meet PAS 108 requirements when operated correctly with appropriate tire input. PAS 108 is the British Standard for tire bales used in civil engineering and construction applications. It specifies bale dimensions, wire tying configuration, and material composition. Gradeall can provide technical documentation covering PAS 108 compliance for buyers in markets where this standard is referenced.
Delivery timelines depend on destination and shipping route. European destinations by road typically take less time than container shipping to markets in Asia, Africa, or the Americas. Gradeall’s team can provide indicative shipping timelines for specific destinations at the point of enquiry, along with guidance on customs clearance timelines for markets the company has shipped to previously.
Gradeall operates a global service engineer network providing ongoing technical support to international customers. OEM spare parts are available and can be shipped internationally. The company also offers on-site service visits for maintenance, fault diagnosis, and machine upgrades. Contact Gradeall’s sales team to understand the support options available in your market.
Yes. Gradeall invites prospective buyers to its Dungannon facility to see the MKII and other equipment operating under real conditions. Factory visits allow buyers to assess bale quality, observe processing speeds, and meet the engineering and sales teams before committing to an order. Gradeall’s team can arrange equipment demonstrations tailored to the tire types and volumes relevant to your operation.
The MKII produces up to 6 PAS 108-compliant bales per hour under normal operating conditions with appropriate tire input and correctly trained operators. Actual throughput depends on tire type, size, and preparation. Gradeall can provide detailed output data for specific tire compositions and volume scenarios on request.
For recycling operations considering the MKII tire baler, the starting point is a conversation with Gradeall’s sales team about your specific volumes, tire types, and site conditions. The team can confirm which baler model is appropriate for your throughput requirements, advise on the best shipping method for your destination, and outline what a complete equipment package would look like for your operation.
Contact Gradeall International to discuss your requirements. The team works with buyers across every major time zone and is experienced in supporting enquiries from operations at every stage, from initial feasibility through to post-installation support.
For operations at an earlier stage of planning, the Gradeall website covers the full equipment range, including the MKII tire baler, truck tire sidewall cutter, OTR tire processing equipment, and the company’s international export case studies.
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