The company Arjes from Leimbach has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. From a pure niche manufacturer of dual-shaft shredders, the company 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 adopted mobility early. The manufacturer's dual-shaft shredders are mounted on tracked 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. For inner-city construction sites, a decisive advantage. The throughput performance ranges from 80 to 350 tons per hour depending on the model. This is sufficient for medium-sized demolition projects and recycling centers.
Market positioning: Gap between mini excavator and large-scale facility
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 can break concrete, but doesn't shred it into sortable condition. This is where mobile shredders come in.
Target group: demolition contractors with 5 to 20 employees, recycling centers, municipal utilities and landscape builders. They appreciate quick readiness for deployment. An Arjes machine is operational in 15 minutes. By comparison: a stationary system often takes half a day to set up and configure.
Sustainability: Circular economy as a business model
The circular economy is driving demand. According to the Circular Economy Act, construction waste has had to 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 screening system sorts shredded concrete into fractions of 0-32 mm and 32-80 mm. The fine fraction goes back into road construction as fill material. The coarse fraction goes to concrete recycling plants. Metal is magnetically separated. The recycling rate thus increases to over 85 percent.
Electrification: First steps toward emission-free construction site
Arjes is working on electric drives. To date, all machines run on diesel engines between 200 and 500 hp. For inner-city construction sites, this is a problem. Low-emission zones require alternative drives. This is where Arjes focuses on electrification.
A prototype with electric motor and 150-kWh battery has been running field tests since 2023. Runtime is around 4 hours at full load. That's not enough 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.
Distribution 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. The payback period is 3 to 5 years, depending on utilization.
Service and spare parts: In-house workshop as 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. By comparison: international manufacturers often take 2 weeks.
The machines are designed for ease of maintenance. Changing a shredding shaft takes 4 hours. No specialist is needed. An experienced excavator operator can do it with onboard 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. 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. Those who deliver quickly here will secure market share in the growing low-emission zones of German inner cities.
