When a recycling operation deals with material that varies a lot, different shapes, different sizes, mixed streams that change through the day, the shredder needs to be forgiving. It has to feed reliably whether the next thing dropped in the hopper is a sheet, a chunk, or a heavy-walled part. The VHS-Series is built around exactly that flexibility, using an angled hydraulic ram to keep a wide range of material moving smoothly into the rotor.
The VHS-Series is an industrial horizontal shredder, a single-shaft machine engineered for strength, reliability, and daily versatility across plastics, wood, paper, and general waste streams.
This is the seventh post in our shredder series, covering every shredder we build and who each one is for. This one is the reliable daily-driver for mixed material streams.
The angled ram advantage
The defining feature of the VHS-Series is its angled hydraulic ram, which is what makes it suitable for such a wide range of material shapes and sizes. Instead of feeding straight in, the angled approach guides varied material into the cutting zone consistently, which is a real advantage when your input is not uniform. Paired with a large feeding hopper and a low-speed, high-torque design, the result is a shredder that keeps working steadily whether you feed it something flat, something bulky, or something heavy-walled.
The machine is equipped with a 600 mm diameter E-type rotor and knife holder fixing system, and it is available in widths from 1500 mm to 2600 mm. The final material size is set by the screen, which can be changed easily based on your requirements, so one machine can produce different output sizes as your needs shift.
Built for daily operation
The VHS-Series is engineered for strength and reliability in daily operation, with robust welded-steel construction and the advanced rotor and knife mounting system that runs across the Virtus shredder line. It is meant to be a workhorse you run every day, not a specialty machine you wheel out occasionally. And it is designed to be tailored to your recycling requirements, with different drive powers, knife configurations, and discharge options available so the machine fits your line rather than forcing your line to fit the machine.
What it handles and who needs one
Post-industrial plastic recyclers. The VHS-Series is ideal for recycling post-industrial plastic waste, the offcuts, rejects, and production scrap that a manufacturing operation generates in mixed shapes and sizes.
General waste and mixed-material operations. It provides an economical solution for recycling plastics, wood, paper, and general waste streams, which makes it a good fit for operations that do not want a separate machine for every material type.
Operations building a processing line. The VHS-Series integrates easily into complete lines with other Virtus products and accessories such as conveyors and granulators, so it can be the shredding stage in a larger system rather than a standalone island.
Typical materials and real-world jobs
The VHS-Series is the reliable daily driver for varied material. Here is what it handles:
| Post-industrial recyclers | Offcuts, rejects, and production scrap in mixed shapes and sizes |
| General waste operations | Plastics, wood, paper, and general waste streams |
| Mixed-material shops | Streams that change through the day without swapping machines |
| Line integrators | Shredding stage feeding conveyors and granulators downstream |
The VHS-Series is an economical, versatile daily shredder. Large diameter pipe, whole tires, and very bulky containers have dedicated machines, and the toughest high-volume duty is the X-Series’ job.
VHS-Series at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Rotor diameter | 600 mm E-type rotor |
| Working widths | 1500 mm to 2600 mm |
| Feed system | Angled hydraulic ram, large feeding hopper |
| Output sizing | Easily changed screen sets final material size |
| Construction | Robust welded steel, low-speed high-torque design |
| Tailoring options | Different drive powers, knife configurations, and discharge options |
Is the VHS-Series right for you?
The VHS-Series is a strong choice when you want a dependable, economical shredder for varied material and daily use, and when you value the angled-ram feeding for a stream that is not uniform. If your material is specifically large diameter pipe, bulky containers, or tires, one of our specialist shredders is a better match, and if you need the very toughest, highest-throughput heavy duty capability, the X-Series is the step up. For general post-industrial and mixed-material recycling, though, the VHS-Series is a versatile, cost-effective backbone.
See it in action
Sometimes the easiest way to understand a machine is to watch it run. Our YouTube channel has material demonstrations across the full Virtus lineup, so you can see how different materials feed and process at each stage of size reduction before you ever pick up the phone.
Not sure? Send us your material
Because the VHS-Series handles such a range of material, the best way to confirm it suits your specific mix is a real test. Send us a sample of your actual scrap, tell us your volume and target output size, and our testing facility will run it and send back a confidential technical analysis with real results. We record the test too, so you can watch your own material go through before you commit.
After the sale, you are not on your own
Screens and knives are high-wear parts, and when they need replacing, parts for the VHS-Series are in stock on Virtus Equipment Direct, our online webstore, so you are not waiting on a quote for a part you already know you need. Our service team handles installation and can commission the machine, train your operators, and set up a maintenance schedule from day one. And if your team works in Spanish, so do we. Nuestro equipo le atiende en espanol, desde la primera llamada hasta la instalacion y el soporte.
Frequently asked questions
What is the advantage of a horizontal shredder with an angled ram?
The angled hydraulic ram guides varied material into the rotor consistently, which makes the machine well-suited to a wide range of material shapes and sizes. For mixed or non-uniform scrap, that reliable feeding is a real operational advantage.
How do I control the output size?
The final material size is determined by the screen, which is easy to change. Swapping screens lets one VHS-Series produce different output sizes for different downstream needs.
Can the VHS-Series be part of a larger line?
Yes. It integrates easily with other Virtus products and accessories such as conveyors and granulators, so it can serve as the shredding stage in a complete processing line.
What is the advantage of a horizontal shredder with an angled ram?
The angled hydraulic ram guides varied material into the rotor consistently, which makes the machine well-suited to a wide range of shapes and sizes. For mixed or non-uniform scrap, that reliable feeding is a real advantage.
How do I control the output size?
The final material size is set by the screen, which is easy to change. Swapping screens lets one VHS-Series produce different output sizes for different downstream needs.
Can the VHS-Series be part of a larger line?
Yes. It integrates easily with other Virtus products and accessories such as conveyors and granulators, so it can be the shredding stage in a complete line.
Terms worth knowing
A few terms come up constantly when you are speccing this kind of machine. Here they are in plain language:
Angled hydraulic ram. A ram that guides varied material into the rotor at an angle, which is what makes the machine suit a wide range of shapes and sizes.
E-type rotor. The 600 mm rotor and knife holder fixing system at the heart of the VHS-Series.
Screen. The easily changed perforated plate that sets the final material size.
Low-speed high-torque. The operating principle of a shredder, forceful and slow, the opposite of a high-speed granulator.
Discharge options. The configurable ways shredded material leaves the machine, tailored to your line.
Related machines
If this machine is not quite the right fit, these are the neighbors to look at:
