ARJES — The Insurgent from Thuringia
If Doppstadt is the establishment, Arjes is the challenger brand that has seized market share at a pace few predicted. Founded in 2007 by Norbert Hammel — notably, a member of the same Hammel family behind Hammel Recyclingtechnik — Arjes was born in Leimbach, a small town in Thuringia, Germany. The early years were scrappy. Hammel purchased the site of an old concrete works, converted it into a production facility with just 19 employees, and began building twin-shaft shredders for wood waste.
The company’s trajectory since then has been remarkable. From a single prototype — the VZ 750, designed for green waste and wood processing — Arjes has grown to approximately 190 employees and established itself as a worldwide leader in mobile twin-shaft shredders. The company celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2022, the same year it delivered its 1,000th Impaktor 250 EVO unit — a milestone that underscored the extraordinary demand for its compact shredder range.
In 2023, Arjes underwent a significant corporate restructuring. Due to sustained high demand and increasing competitive pressure, the company split its operations. Arjes Impaktor GmbH was established under the leadership of Norbert Hammel and his daughter Isabell Hammel to handle the core business of the diesel-mobile Impaktor range, remaining at the Leimbach site. Meanwhile, Arjes GmbH relocated its headquarters to Merkers, Thuringia, after acquiring EuRec Environmental Technology GmbH from its Chinese shareholder, the Welle Environmental Group Co., Ltd of Changzhou. This acquisition brought additional manufacturing capacity, personnel, and the EuRec brand (which produces synchronous twin-shaft shredders, distinct from Arjes’ asynchronous design). The Welle Group also became the exclusive dealer for Arjes and EuRec across China and South-East Asia, with a licence to manufacture EuRec machines for those markets.
Arjes does not publicly disclose revenue figures. However, given unit volumes (the Impaktor 250 alone exceeded 1,000 deliveries by early 2022), average selling prices in the £80,000–£350,000 range, and continued growth in the Titan and Ekomaxx lines, industry estimates place annual revenues comfortably in the €50–80 million bracket.
What sets Arjes apart is its singular focus on twin-shaft shredding and its proprietary quick-change shaft system, which allows operators to swap shredding shafts in minutes using a cassette mechanism — a major advantage when processing varied material streams.
Product Range — Complete Model Directory
Impaktor Series — Compact Mobile Twin-Shaft Shredders
The Impaktor is Arjes’ bestseller and the product that built the brand. These are compact, highly mobile twin-shaft shredders designed for contractors and smaller operators who need powerful performance in a transportable package. The quick-change shaft system is standard across the range.
Models: Impaktor 250 EVO (the flagship compact model — approximately 14 tonnes, typically around 250 HP, designed for C&D waste, concrete, asphalt, wood, waste, and scrap metal; over 1,000 units sold worldwide), and the Impaktor 250 EVO E (electric drive variant).
VZ Series — Mid-Range Twin-Shaft Shredders
The VZ range preceded the Impaktor and remains in high demand on the used market. These are heavier, more powerful twin-shaft shredders for volume processing.
Models: VZ 750 (the original prototype model, for green waste and wood), VZ 750 D (diesel mobile version), VZ 850 DK (tracked, the most traded Arjes model on the used market — extremely high demand, particularly in UK and Europe), and VZ 950 DK (the larger variant, heavier applications including scrap and bulky waste).
Titan Series — Heavy-Duty Twin-Shaft Shredders
The Titan line extends Arjes’ capability into the heaviest applications — large-scale waste processing, scrap metal, and industrial waste.
Models: Titan 900 (the flagship heavy-duty unit, very powerful, increasingly seen on UK sites; 2023 models with relatively low hours command strong prices on the used market), and Titan 950.
Ekomaxx Series — Efficiency-Focused Mid-Range
Launched in 2022, the Ekomaxx was designed as a more cost-efficient successor to the VZ 850, targeting operators who prioritise economic efficiency. Positioned between the Impaktor and the Titan.
Models: Ekomaxx 850 (the launch model, focused on best price-performance ratio in its class).