The company Arjes from Leimbach has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. From a pure niche manufacturer of twin-shaft shredders, the company has developed into a sought-after problem solver in the recycling industry. The strategy behind it: mobile, compact shredding machines that work where stationary crushing plants reach their limits.
Product development: Compact and mobile beats stationary
Arjes has been focusing on mobility early on. The company's twin-shaft shredders are mounted on crawler chassis and weigh between 12 and 40 tons. They shred construction waste, old wood, tree stumps and green waste directly on the construction site. This saves transportation costs and intermediate storage.
The machines work with two counter-rotating shafts that grip and tear the material. Unlike a jaw crusher or impact crusher, this produces less fine dust. A decisive advantage for inner-city construction sites. Depending on the model, the throughput performance is between 80 and 350 tons per hour. This is sufficient for medium-sized demolition projects and recycling yards.
Market positioning: Gap between mini excavator and large plant
Arjes serves a market gap. For smaller construction companies, stationary crushing plants from Kleemann or Sandvik are often oversized. A hydraulic hammer on a hydraulic excavator does break concrete, but doesn't shred it ready for sorting. This is where the mobile shredders come in.
The target group: demolition contractors with 5 to 20 employees, recycling yards, municipal utilities and landscape builders. They appreciate the quick operational readiness. An Arjes machine is ready to operate in 15 minutes. In comparison: a stationary plant often takes half a day to set up and prepare.
Sustainability: Circular economy as a business model
The circular economy drives demand. According to the Circular Economy Act, construction waste must be recycled to at least 70 percent since 2020. This requires sorting and shredding directly on the construction site. Arjes benefits from this development.
The machines separate material by grain size. An integrated screen sorts shredded concrete into fractions 0-32 mm and 32-80 mm. The fine fraction goes back into road construction as filler material. The coarse fraction goes to concrete recycling plants. Metal is separated magnetically. The recycling rate thus increases to over 85 percent.
Electrification: First steps towards emission-free construction sites
Arjes is working on electric drives. So far, all machines run on diesel engines between 200 and 500 HP. A problem for inner-city construction sites. Low-emission zones call for alternative drives. This is where Arjes focuses on electrification.
A prototype with electric motor and 150-kWh battery has been in field testing since 2023. The runtime is approximately 4 hours at full load. This is not sufficient for a full working day. Arjes is therefore testing hybrid concepts: diesel generator for continuous operation, battery for noise-sensitive phases. Similar to Wacker Neuson with its electric mini excavators.
Sales strategy: Direct sales instead of dealer network
Arjes relies on direct sales. No dealer network, no intermediaries. Customers buy directly from the manufacturer or through regional distribution partners. This reduces costs and enables fast service. A technician is on-site within 24 hours. For construction contractors, that counts.
Prices range from 180,000 to 450,000 euros depending on the model. This is cheaper than a stationary crushing plant, but more expensive than a used demolition excavator with sorting grab. Payback period is 3 to 5 years, depending on utilization.
Service and spare parts: Own workshop as a competitive advantage
Arjes operates its own workshop with 12 service technicians. Wear parts such as shredding shafts and screens are available from stock. Delivery time is 48 hours. In comparison: international manufacturers often take 2 weeks.
The machines are designed for ease of maintenance. Changing a shredding shaft takes 4 hours. This doesn't require a specialist. An experienced excavator operator can do it with basic tools. This reduces downtime and increases availability.
Outlook: Automation and telematics as next steps
Arjes is investing in automation. A new generation with telematics and automatic load adjustment is under development. The machine recognizes material density and automatically adjusts speed and feed rate. This saves diesel and protects wear parts.
Remote-controlled models are also planned. Similar to Liebherr or Caterpillar, the operator should be able to control the machine from a safe distance. For demolition sites with risk of collapse, this is a safety gain.
The transformation from niche manufacturer to problem solver has succeeded. Arjes has found a clear positioning: mobile shredding technology for medium-sized construction sites. The next step is electrification. Whoever delivers quickly here will secure market share in the growing low-emission zones of German inner cities.
