2023 Rapid Granulator 150-35
Item No. 6060
🇺🇸 USAFinancingYear 2023
2023 Rapid Granulator 150-35
Item No. 6059
🇺🇸 USAFinancingYear 2023
Wittmann Generation 3 4.4 HP Granulator, New in 2021
Item No. 5836
🇺🇸 USAFinancingYear 2021
Wittmann SJM2A 1.7 HP Granulator, New in 2018
Item No. 5835
🇺🇸 USAFinancingYear 2018
100 HP Granulator w/ Blower & Cyclone
Item No. 6085
🇺🇸 USAFinancing100 HP
Cumberland - X1400
Item No. 5711
🇺🇸 USAFinancing150 HP
Rapid - B-18
Item No. 3754
🇺🇸 USAFinancingLooking for Something Specific?
Most of our inventory sells before we can list it online. If you need a specific brand, model, or specification, contact us directly—we have access to unlisted equipment and machines coming in from plant closures.
Browse Used Plastic Granulators by Country
Looking to Sell Your Plastic Granulators?
Meadoworks is an active cash buyer of used industrial equipment. Get a free valuation from our AMEA-certified appraisers.
What Is a Plastic Granulator?
Meadoworks carries a deep selection of used plastic granulators, plastic grinders, and granulating machines for in-house regrind, central recycling, and post-consumer plastic processing. From small beside-the-press granulators that grind sprues and runners back into the press to heavy-duty central granulators that process bulky purgings and reclaimed parts, our inventory covers every plastic grinding equipment need. We stock granulators from Cumberland, Rapid, Foremost, Nelmor, Conair, and other industry leaders.
A plastic granulator is a high-speed cutting machine that reduces plastic parts, runners, sprues, and scrap into uniform regrind suitable for re-use in molding or extrusion. Granulators use a rotating set of fly knives passing closely against fixed bed knives, with a screen at the bottom of the cutting chamber controlling the final particle size. The result is a clean, free-flowing regrind — usually in the 3-10 mm range — that can be reintroduced into a virgin material stream or sold as recycled feedstock.
Plastic granulators are categorized by where they live in a process. Beside-the-press granulators sit next to an injection molding machine and grind sprues, runners, and reject parts on the spot, often returning the regrind back to the press through a vacuum loader. Central granulators are larger machines that handle scrap from multiple molding cells or extrusion lines. Heavy-duty granulators are built with thicker rotors, more horsepower, and tougher tooling for processing bulky purgings, blow-molded parts, sheet rolls, and post-industrial reclaim.
When buyers search for “plastic granulator,” “plastic grinding equipment,” or “industrial granulator,” they typically compare brands like Cumberland, Rapid, Foremost, Nelmor, Conair, and Wittmann. Key spec considerations include rotor diameter and configuration (open or closed, 3-knife or 5-knife), motor horsepower, screen size, hopper geometry, and noise enclosure. Meadoworks regularly handles used granulators in every size class — many from molders consolidating equipment or upgrading to newer models.
Types of Plastic Granulators
Beside-the-Press Granulators
Small footprint units (3-15 HP) that sit next to an injection molding machine. Ideal for grinding sprues, runners, and reject parts in real time. Cumberland, Conair, Sterling, Rapid models are most common.
Central Granulators
Mid-size to large machines (20-100+ HP) located in a centralized recycling area, fed by conveyor or manual loading. Process scrap from multiple molding or extrusion cells.
Heavy-Duty / Soundproof Granulators
Robust granulators with thick rotors, hardened tooling, and acoustic enclosures — built for bulky purgings, blow-molded parts, sheet, and tough post-industrial scrap.
Low-Speed / Screenless Granulators
Slow-speed cutting (60-100 RPM) for clean, dust-free regrind on engineering resins, optical parts, and high-value materials. Ideal for medical and electronics molders.
Film & Sheet Granulators
Wide-throat granulators with feed rolls or conveyors designed specifically for high-volume film, sheet, and trim recycling.
Pipe & Profile Granulators
Heavy granulators sized for chunked pipe, profile, and structural reject — often paired with pre-cutters or shredders upstream.
Related Equipment Categories
Used Plastic Shredders
Single, dual & quad shaft shredders for primary size reduction.
Used Plastic Pelletizers
Strand and underwater pelletizing lines for compounding.
Used Balers
Compact regrind, film, and waste streams for transport.
All Recycling Equipment
Browse the full Meadoworks recycling equipment catalog.
Plastic Auxiliary Equipment
Loaders, dryers, blenders, chillers and more.
Top Plastic Granulator Brands
Cumberland
U.S. industry standard for plastic granulators — broad model range from beside-the-press to heavy-duty central units.
Rapid
Swedish brand widely used by precision molders — energy-efficient designs and very strong U.S. service network.
Foremost
(Hosokawa) heavy-duty granulators trusted by recyclers, blow molders, and large extrusion shops.
Nelmor
Long-running U.S. brand known for rugged plastics granulators and grinders, with broad parts availability.
Conair
Conair's Cumberland-engineered granulators integrate cleanly with their auxiliaries (loaders, dryers, blenders).
Sterling
Sterling builds beside-the-press and mid-size granulators trusted across the U.S. molding industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a plastic granulator used for?
A plastic granulator reduces plastic parts, sprues, runners, and scrap into uniform regrind that can be re-fed into a molding or extrusion process or sold as recycled feedstock. Beside-the-press granulators recycle in-house scrap; central and heavy-duty granulators process larger volumes from multiple production cells or post-consumer reclaim.
What is the difference between a granulator and a grinder?
In the plastics industry the terms are largely interchangeable — both refer to high-speed rotary cutting machines that produce regrind. “Granulator” is the more common technical term; “grinder” is often used colloquially or for general-purpose plastic grinding equipment. Granulators differ from shredders, which use slower, high-torque cutting for tougher feedstock.
How much does a used plastic granulator cost?
Used plastic granulator prices range from $2,000-$8,000 for small beside-the-press units, $15,000-$40,000 for mid-size central granulators, and $25,000-$150,000+ for heavy-duty soundproof units. Brand, motor HP, hours, and condition all affect pricing. Call 800-323-0307 for a quote on a specific machine.
Which plastic granulator brands does Meadoworks carry?
We regularly handle used granulators from Cumberland, Rapid, Foremost (Hosokawa), Nelmor, Conair, Sterling, Wittmann, and other manufacturers. Inventory rotates frequently — many machines come from facility closures and never hit our public catalog.
How do I size a granulator for my application?
Sizing depends on your throughput (lb/hr), part geometry, material toughness, and required regrind size. As a starting point: a 5 HP beside-the-press handles 50-100 lb/hr of sprues; a 30 HP central granulator handles 500-1,200 lb/hr; a 100 HP heavy-duty unit handles 2,000-4,000 lb/hr. Send Meadoworks a description of your application and we'll recommend a suitable used granulator.
Can a granulator handle contaminated or post-consumer plastic?
Conventional granulators struggle with metal contamination, dirt, and oversized parts. For post-consumer or contaminated feedstock, plastics recyclers typically pre-process material with a shredder, then granulate the shredded output. A metal detector and magnet upstream of the granulator is essential to protect the rotor and knives.
Do you ship plastic granulators internationally?
Yes. Meadoworks ships used plastic granulators worldwide, including to Mexico, Turkey, Pakistan, Philippines, and across Europe, the Middle East, and South America. We coordinate rigging, ocean freight, and customs paperwork through experienced freight forwarders.
Buying Guides & Resources
Granulator vs Shredder Buying Guide
Compare granulators and shredders for your plastic recycling application.
Read GuideUsed Plastics Equipment Guide
Buying used plastics processing equipment, from granulators to extruders.
Read GuideHow Industrial Auctions Work
Buying recycling equipment at industrial auctions and plant closing sales.
Read GuideRecently Sold Plastic Granulators
A sample of machines we've recently sold. Looking for one like these? Tell us what you need — we source equipment from plant closings and surplus operations daily.
Wittmann 5.5 Kw Granulator, New in 2018
Item No. 6159
🇺🇸 USAYear 2018
Wittmann 5.5 Kw Granulator, New in 2018
Item No. 6160
🇺🇸 USAYear 2018
Wittmann 5.5 Kw Granulator, New in 2016
Item No. 6161
🇺🇸 USAYear 2016
2015 Rapid RG-3
Item No. 4998
🇺🇸 USAYear 2015
2015 Rapid RG-3
Item No. 5000
🇺🇸 USAYear 2015
2015 Rapid RG-3
Item No. 4999
🇺🇸 USAYear 2015
Key Takeaways
- 3 main granulator categories: beside-the-press, central, and heavy-duty — each sized for a different recycling role
- Throughput ranges from ~50 lb/hr small benchtop units to 4,000+ lb/hr industrial granulators
- Cumberland, Rapid, Foremost, Nelmor, Conair are the most-traded brands — strong U.S. parts and service support
- Used granulator pricing ranges from $2,000-$5,000 (small benchtop) up to $50,000+ for heavy-duty central units
- Inspect rotor and bed knives, screen condition, motor amperage, and chamber for cracks before purchase
What to Look For When Buying a Used Granulator
Inspect the rotor and bed knives
Knives are the highest-wear parts and should be checked for chipping, severe wear, and proper resharpening history. Replacement knife sets can cost $500-$5,000+ depending on machine size, so factor that into your offer.
Check the screen condition
A worn or damaged screen lets oversized regrind through and reduces yield. Look for cracks, hole erosion, and warping. Confirm the model uses a standard screen pattern that's still available from the OEM or aftermarket.
Examine the cutting chamber for cracks
Heavy purgings can crack chamber walls over time. Inspect welds, the area around bed knife mounts, and the discharge area. Crack repairs can be expensive on hardened steel chambers.
Confirm motor amperage and bearings
Run the granulator empty and listen to the bearings. Check no-load amperage against the OEM spec — high readings indicate misalignment or worn bearings. Drop-in bearings on smaller granulators are inexpensive; specialty bearings on heavy-duty machines aren't.
Test the safety interlocks
Hopper safety bar, screen-cradle interlock, and rotor brake should all function. Older granulators may need control upgrades to meet ANSI/OSHA expectations for lockout-tagout and access doors.
Verify auxiliary integration
If the granulator will be paired with a vacuum loader, dust collector, or metal detector, confirm the discharge port size, available power, and control interface match your existing or planned setup.
Used Plastic Granulator Pricing Guide
Used plastic granulator prices depend on size class, motor horsepower, brand, age, and condition. The ranges below are typical for inspected machines from Meadoworks and the broader used market.
| Configuration | Typical Used Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small beside-the-press (3-7.5 HP) | $2,000 - $8,000 | Sprue / runner regrind for a single press |
| Mid beside-the-press (10-20 HP) | $5,000 - $20,000 | Multi-press, light film & sheet |
| Central granulator (25-50 HP) | $15,000 - $40,000 | Multiple presses, mixed scrap streams |
| Heavy-duty central (60-100 HP) | $25,000 - $75,000 | Purgings, blow molded parts, large parts |
| Heavy-duty soundproof (150+ HP) | $50,000 - $150,000+ | High-throughput recycling lines |
| Low-speed / screenless granulators | $8,000 - $40,000 | Optical, medical, dust-free regrind |
Premium brand premiums (Cumberland, Rapid, Foremost) typically run 15-25% above generic equivalents. Late-model machines with low hours and complete tooling sets command top dollar. Call 800-323-0307 for current pricing on a specific granulator.
Need help sizing a used granulator?
Tell us your throughput, material, and regrind requirements. Our team has 50+ years of experience matching molders and recyclers to the right used plastic granulator — including unlisted machines from facility closures.
