Searching for a plastic recycling machine cost figure usually returns marketplace listings, a used-equipment auction, and a page that promises pricing then asks for your email. Not much help when you are sizing a budget for a business plan or a financing application.
Suppliers stay vague for a real reason — the same machine name covers a 200 kg/h unit and a 3,000 kg/h line, and a quotation written before anyone has seen the material is worthless. But the cost of plastic recycling machine equipment can still be published as honest bands. SUHUI has built this equipment in Zhangjiagang for over 20 years and ships to 50+ countries; the ranges below are our own factory-direct FOB figures, the same ones on our plastic recycling machine and plastic extrusion machine pages.
Reference FOB budget bands for the four main plastic recycling machine types, from a single shredder to a complete line.
What a Plastic Recycling Machine Costs by Machine Type
Recycling equipment is priced by stage, not as one product. A shredder is the cheapest entry point at $10,000 to $30,000. Washing is the most capital-intensive single stage at $40,000 to $100,000. Pelletizing spans the widest band because it covers everything from a small granulating unit to a twin-screw compounding line.
| Machine | Typical capacity | Reference price (FOB) | At the low end | At the high end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic shredder | 200–1,000 kg/h | $10,000 – $30,000 | Single shaft, moderate throughput, clean single-source scrap | Twin shafts, high torque for pipe and bales, hydraulic pusher |
| Plastic washing line | 300–1,000 kg/h | $40,000 – $100,000 | Lightly soiled rigid scrap, cold wash, fewer tanks | Post-consumer film or bottles needing hot alkaline wash, float-sink separation, water treatment |
| Pelletizing line | 100–1,000 kg/h | $10,000 – $100,000 | Single-stage extrusion on clean, dry regrind | Double-stage extrusion, heavier degassing, twin-screw compounding |
| Film squeezer-granulator | 300–750 kg/h | $28,000 – $40,000 | SH300 at 300–500 kg/h, 90 kW main motor | SH350 at 600–750 kg/h, 160 kW main motor |
| Complete recycling line (shred + wash + pelletize) | Project-based | $50,000 – $150,000 | One material, one source, manual material handling | Post-consumer feedstock, conveying between stages, water treatment, buyer-specified pellet quality |
These are factory-direct FOB figures for budgeting only. They exclude sea freight, import duties and on-site installation, and a firm quotation follows a review of your material, target output and plant conditions. Treat a supplier who quotes a fixed number before seeing your material with caution — contamination is what turns a $40,000 washing line into a $100,000 one.
Why Two Quotations for the Same Machine Land Thousands Apart
Buyers who collect three quotations for a 500 kg/h washing line often find a spread wide enough to look like an error. It rarely is. The machine name describes a function; the price describes a specification. Five variables account for almost all of the gap.
Throughput is the largest. Our plastic film squeezer granulating machine shows it cleanly because the model prices are published. The SH300 handles 300–500 kg/h on a 90 kW motor at $28,000; the SH350 handles 600–750 kg/h on a 160 kW motor at $40,000. Roughly 50 percent more output costs about 43 percent more money, and nearly all of it is steel and installed power.
Contamination is second. Clean industrial offcuts need far less machine than post-consumer bales. Rigid scrap may wash in two tanks; post-consumer containers need hot alkaline washing, and our HDPE bottle washing line runs that stage at 60–80°C with closed-loop water recycling that cuts fresh water use by up to 70 percent. Each subsystem is a line item.
The remaining three are quieter but just as expensive. Automation trades purchase price against payroll, and the right answer depends on your local labor cost rather than on engineering quality. Steel specification — blade steel, screen thickness, tank material, bearing grade — is invisible in a photograph and unmistakable in year three. Downstream scope is the most often missed of all, because conveyors, metal detection, silos and pellet handling are frequently quoted separately, so two prices are comparable only when the scope boundaries sit in the same place.
Five variables explain nearly every price gap between quotations for the same nominal machine.
What the Full Shred, Wash and Pelletize Route Costs
A line running all three stages is quoted at $50,000 to $150,000 FOB — less than the three individual bands added together, because equipment sized to work as one system shares conveying, control and buffer capacity instead of duplicating it. Feedstock condition drives most of the spread inside that band.
Washing is the largest step change in the budget, and pelletizing carries both the largest cost and the largest margin.
| Stage | What it changes about the material | You can skip it when | Effect on the budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size reduction | Turns bulky waste into feedable fragments | Input already arrives as regrind or flake | Lowest-cost stage, but skipping it caps what the rest of the line can accept |
| Washing | Removes dirt, labels, adhesives, oils and organics | The scrap is clean post-industrial material | The single largest step change in a project budget |
| Drying and dewatering | Brings flake moisture down before extrusion | Rarely — wet flake is the most common cause of poor pellets | Modest cost, disproportionate effect on output quality |
| Pelletizing | Converts flake into a tradable pellet | Your buyer purchases washed flake rather than pellets | Removing it cuts the largest cost and the largest margin |
That last row is the decision most worth taking seriously. Selling washed flake needs a shorter, much cheaper line; selling pellets needs the extrusion stage but reaches a different buyer at a different price. Our guide to what a plastic recycling line includes covers how the stages combine, and the choice between single-stage and double-stage pelletizing is usually worth more than the machine brand.
What Plastic Extrusion Line Prices Look Like by Diameter
Recyclers who also want to manufacture finished product need extrusion figures, and SUHUI builds both sides. Pipe lines are priced by the diameter range they can produce, because die, calibration table, haul-off and cutter all scale with it. Profile lines for 100–400 mm widths run $20,000 to $50,000.
Pipe line price scales with the diameter range, because die, calibration table, haul-off and cutter all scale with it.
| Line type | Pipe diameter | Reference price (FOB) |
|---|---|---|
| PVC pipe extrusion line | Φ16–40 mm (twin-cavity) | $25,000 – $30,000 |
| PVC pipe extrusion line | Φ50–160 mm | $30,000 – $35,000 |
| PVC pipe extrusion line | Φ75–250 mm | $35,000 – $40,000 |
| PVC pipe extrusion line | Φ110–315 mm | $45,000 – $50,000 |
| PVC pipe extrusion line | Φ160–450 mm | $50,000 – $60,000 |
| PVC pipe extrusion line | Φ315–630 mm | $75,000 – $85,000 |
| HDPE / PPR pipe extrusion line | Φ20–110 mm | $35,000 – $40,000 |
| HDPE / PPR pipe extrusion line | Φ50–250 mm | $40,000 – $50,000 |
| HDPE / PPR pipe extrusion line | Φ160–450 mm | $65,000 – $75,000 |
| HDPE / PPR pipe extrusion line | Φ280–630 mm | $85,000 – $100,000 |
| HDPE / PPR pipe extrusion line | Φ315–800 mm | $90,000 – $150,000 |
Buy for the diameter range you will actually sell rather than the widest available — moving from Φ160–450 mm to Φ315–800 mm roughly doubles the budget. And if the plan is to recycle your own scrap and extrude it back into product, scope both investments together. Downstream options are on the plastic pipe extrusion line and profile extrusion lines pages.
What an FOB Price Leaves Out
Every figure above is FOB, meaning equipment delivered onto the vessel at the Chinese port. Freight, duty and everything happening at your end sit outside that number. Buyers who budget the FOB figure alone are routinely surprised, so it is worth listing what still has to be paid.
| Cost item | Inside the FOB price | How to budget it |
|---|---|---|
| Sea freight and insurance | No | Quote on real volume — a washing line is bulky for its value |
| Import duty and VAT | No | Destination-specific; check your HS code first |
| Inland transport and unloading | No | Distance from port, and craning on site |
| Foundations, power and water hookup | No | Scales with installed power and water demand; use the specification, not an estimate |
| Installation and commissioning | Quoted separately | Engineer time and travel; fix scope and duration in the contract |
| Initial spare and wear parts | Usually separate | First-year blades, screens and seals; ask for the list before signing |
| Operator training | Usually with commissioning | Confirm how many people, in what language |
None of these are hidden charges — they simply sit outside the Incoterm. A supplier who folds them into a headline price is either guessing at your destination or quoting a different scope from the one you are comparing it against.
An FOB figure ends at the vessel — freight, duty, installation and first-year spares are budgeted separately.
The Running Costs That Decide Your Real Cost per Ton
Purchase price is paid once. Power, water, steam, chemicals, floor space and labor repeat every shift for a decade, and on a well-utilized line they overtake the machine cost quickly. The figures below are published specifications for the SUHUI PET bottle sorting washing line, the most utility-intensive equipment we build.
Energy multiplies roughly fourfold from PET500 to PET3000 while headcount only doubles, which is why cost per ton falls with size.
| Parameter | PET500 | PET1000 | PET2000 | PET3000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input capacity (kg/h) | 500 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 3,000 |
| Installed power (kW) | 220 | 395 | 430 | 590 |
| Energy consumption (kWh) | 110 | 170 | 340 | 460 |
| Steam consumption (kg/h) | 500 | 600 | 1,000 | 1,200 |
| Chemical consumption (kg/h) | 10 | 14 | 18 | 28 |
| Water consumption (ton/h) | 0.7 | 1.5 | 3 | 4.5 |
| Required space (m²) | 700 | 800 | 1,200 | 1,500 |
| Operators per shift | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
Read that as a scaling curve, not a price list. Going from PET500 to PET3000 multiplies energy use by roughly four but only doubles the headcount, which is why cost per ton falls as lines get bigger — and why an undersized line bought to save capital can produce the most expensive pellets in the region. The floor space is real estate you either own or rent, too.
Our plastic pelletizing line compacting units add another usable figure, consuming 0.2–0.33 kWh per kilogram of output, which converts straight into cost per ton at your local tariff. On the revenue side, the spread between feedstock cost and pellet price moves constantly. Rather than accept a supplier’s payback claim, check recovered material pricing through trade sources such as Plastics Recycling Update, and check the quality your buyer will hold you to against the APR Design Guide. A payback period only means something once those numbers are yours.
How to Compare Two Plastic Recycling Machine Quotations
Most buyers compare the total at the bottom of the page, which is the one figure that cannot be compared until everything above it matches. Since the five drivers above are what actually differ between suppliers, ask each of them to put four things in writing before you rank the prices.
Four things have to match before two totals can be compared at all.
- Capacity stated on your material, with a machine list. A rated 1,000 kg/h on clean regrind may be 600 kg/h on contaminated bales, and model numbers with motor ratings show how much machine you are buying.
- The scope boundary drawn explicitly. Where does responsibility stop — the pelletizer outlet, the silo, or the packing station?
- Wear part consumption and price. Blades, screens, filters and seals per operating month. This is where a cheap line quietly recovers its discount.
- A factory test run before shipment. Every SUHUI line is assembled, wired and trial-run with material in our Zhangjiagang workshop before packing. Ask whether other suppliers do the same, and who supplies parts in year five.
Small, Used and Home Machines Are a Different Market
A large share of searches around plastic recycling machine price are looking for something we do not build, and saying so is more useful than selling around it. Desktop and hobby machines from the maker community cost a few thousand dollars and handle a few kilograms an hour — useful for prototyping, but not production equipment.
Used industrial equipment is a more serious question, and the deciding factors rarely show in photographs — tank corrosion, screw and barrel wear, obsolete controls, and whether wear parts are still supplied. Price the refurbishment and two years of spares before comparing a second-hand line against a new quotation. Between those ends sits the smallest genuinely industrial configuration: a plastic shredder machine price starts near $10,000 at 200 kg/h across our shredder and crusher range, and a shred-and-pelletize route on clean scrap starts near $50,000.
Every line is assembled, wired and trial-run with material in our own workshop before packing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a plastic recycling machine cost?
A plastic shredder costs $10,000 to $30,000 FOB, a washing line $40,000 to $100,000, and a pelletizing line $10,000 to $100,000. A complete line combining all three stages runs $50,000 to $150,000. Final pricing depends on capacity, contamination and automation level, and is confirmed after a material analysis.
How much money do you need to start a plastic recycling business?
Equipment is only part of it. Budget the FOB machine cost first — from around $50,000 for a modest shred-and-pelletize route on clean scrap — then add freight, import duty, foundations, power supply, installation, first-year spares and working capital for feedstock. Space counts too; our smallest PET washing line needs 700 m² and six operators per shift.
How much is a small plastic recycling machine?
The smallest genuinely industrial machine is a 200 kg/h shredder at roughly $10,000 FOB. Desktop units sold for a few thousand dollars handle a few kilograms per hour and are built for prototyping, not production. If the plan is to sell recycled material by the ton, start at the industrial end.
What is the cost of a plastic recycling plant?
Plastic recycling plant cost is the equipment plus the site. SUHUI equipment for a complete shred, wash and pelletize line is $50,000 to $150,000 FOB. A plant also needs building or rent, an electrical supply matched to installed power (220 kW at 500 kg/h, 590 kW at 3,000 kg/h on our PET washing line), water and steam, effluent handling and staff. Equipment is usually the largest single item but rarely half the total.
How much is a plastic pelletizing machine?
A plastic pelletizing machine price runs $10,000 to $100,000 FOB depending on configuration. Single-stage units on clean, dry regrind sit at the low end. Double-stage extrusion, heavier degassing and twin-screw compounding for printed film or washed post-consumer flake sit at the high end. Compacting units consume 0.2 to 0.33 kWh per kilogram of output.
Does the machine price include shipping and installation?
No. All figures are FOB China, meaning equipment delivered onto the vessel at the port of loading. Sea freight, insurance, import duty, inland transport, foundations, power and water connection, and installation and commissioning are budgeted separately. Ask every supplier to state the Incoterm before comparing totals.
Is a used plastic recycling machine cheaper in the long run?
Sometimes, but the savings turn on things a listing photograph does not show — tank corrosion, screw and barrel wear, obsolete controls, and whether wear parts are still supplied. Price the refurbishment and two years of spares, and confirm the machine suited a material like yours, before comparing against a new quotation.
How much does a plastic extrusion line cost?
PVC pipe extrusion lines run $25,000 to $85,000 FOB across Φ16–630 mm, HDPE and PPR pipe lines $35,000 to $150,000 across Φ20–800 mm, and profile lines $20,000 to $50,000 for 100–400 mm widths. Price scales with the diameter range the line can produce, so specify the range you will actually sell.
Conclusion
A plastic recycling machine price is a band, not a number, and the useful work is understanding what moves you inside it. Throughput, contamination, automation and downstream scope explain nearly every difference between quotations, the FOB figure covers only part of what you will spend, and the utility and labor figures decide whether the line earns its cost per ton once running.
Start from the material rather than the budget. Tell a supplier what you have, how dirty it is, how much of it there is and what you intend to sell — the machine list, the price and the running costs all follow. Contact SUHUI to turn these ranges into a specification and a firm quotation.
Sources
- Association of Plastic Recyclers — APR Design Guide — Industry reference for recovered material quality specifications.
- Plastics Recycling Update — Trade coverage of recovered plastic and recycled resin market pricing.
Related Products and Guides
- Plastic Recycling Machine — Machine directory and price ranges by machine type.
- Plastic Extrusion Machine — Pipe and profile lines with prices by diameter.
- Plastic Recycling Washing Line
- What Is a Plastic Recycling Line
- Plastic Granulator vs Shredder vs Crusher
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