One line. Sixteen machines. A single unbroken chain.
Inside Atheel's 4,620 m² facility in Al Kharj Industrial City, palm waste becomes export-ready pallets through six automated stages.
The facility
Strategically located in Al Kharj
Atheel’s plant sits on a 4,620 m² footprint in Al Kharj Industrial City, positioned for access to palm-waste feedstock and central-region logistics. Per the investment memorandum, construction is 95% complete, with engineering design and procurement fully concluded.
Process flow
From waste to product in six stages
Chipping
Palm trunks, branches, and reclaimed wood are chipped into uniform pieces at up to 8 tonnes per hour.
Fine crushing
Chips are milled into fine, even particles, with dust extraction keeping the blend clean.
Drying
The rotary drum dryer takes moisture from up to 50% down to 5–10% at 110–140 °C.
Resin blending
Dried fibre is automatically blended with resin in precisely weighed proportions.
Hot pressing
Three 1,000-tonne hydraulic presses mold each pallet in a single piece under heat and pressure, on Siemens PLC control.
De-molding, stacking & QC
The automated system extracts, flattens, and stacks pallets; every pallet is evaluated for structural integrity.
The production line
The machinery — 16 principal units
Condensed specifications from the Atheel equipment manifest. Filter by stage, or open any machine for details.
Drum wood chipper — PMWC-216Raw-material prep
Primary chipping of palm trunks, branches, and wood into uniform chips.
| Capacity | 6 – 8 t/h |
|---|---|
| Max feeding log diameter | ≤ 230 mm |
| Knife roller speed | 600 rpm |
| Blades | 2 rotary blades, 55CrSi steel |
| Finished chip size | 60 × 50 × 6 mm |
| Main motor | 67.5 kW · 380 V · 60 Hz |
Fine crushing machine — PMFS-1000Raw-material prep
Secondary crushing into uniform particle size, with dual feed ports for small branches and large boards. Includes dust-extraction unit.
| Capacity | 1.5 – 2.5 t/h |
|---|---|
| Crushing blades | 52 pcs + 4 shaving blades |
| Knife rotating diameter | 1,000 mm |
| Spindle speed | 1,850 rpm |
| Main power | up to 45 kW |
| Dimensions | 2,300 × 1,700 × 2,300 mm |
Pallet crusher — SHTF1350Raw-material prep
Recycles end-of-life pallets back into raw material, closing the loop inside the plant.
| Feeding inlet | 1,350 × 200 mm |
|---|---|
| Throughput | 60 pallets/h |
| Blade shaft diameter | 450 mm |
| Motor power | 37 kW |
| Weight | 3,600 kg |
Rotary drum dryer & furnace — PMRD-1000Drying
Reduces raw-material moisture ahead of mixing for consistent pressing quality.
| Capacity | 0.8 – 1.0 t/h |
|---|---|
| Inlet moisture | 35 – 50% |
| Outlet moisture | 5 – 10% |
| Drying temperature | 110 – 140 °C |
| Drum | Ø 1,000 × 10,000 mm |
| Total power | 18.5 kW |
Glue making & raw-material mixing systemMixing
Automatic resin preparation and blending with dried fibre — the recipe stage of every pallet.
| Glue blenders | 2 sets · 25 kg each, with balance |
|---|---|
| Horizontal mixer | PMHM-2F · 5 m³ · 15 kW |
| Storage silo | 3,000 × 4,000 × 4,000 mm · 36 m³ |
| Mode | Automatic raw-material mixing |
Double-mould presswood pallet press — PM-D1000 (×3)Pressing
The heart of the line: three hydraulic presses molding each pallet in a single piece under heat and pressure.
| Press force | 1,000 tonnes hydraulic |
|---|---|
| Moulds | 1 upper + 2 lower moulds |
| Pallet sizes | 1200 × 1000 / 1200 × 800 mm, custom supported |
| Control | Siemens PLC · servo motor drive |
| Frame | Three-beam, four-column steel structure |
| Machine weight | 32 tonnes · 4.8 × 2.1 × 5.25 m |
| Logo engraving | Supported |
Mold temperature controllers — LDS-50 (×3)Pressing
PID-controlled heating keeps every mould at a constant temperature for uniform pallet quality.
| Temperature range | ambient – 200 °C |
|---|---|
| Control accuracy | PID ± 1 °C |
| Heating capacity | 45 kW |
| Medium | Heat-conducting oil |
| Alerts | Pump reversal · oil shortage · overheating · overload |
Automatic feeding, take-out & stacking system (×2)Handling
Automated material feeding, pallet extraction, flattening, and stacking — with remote-control electric batching.
| Control | Electric batching · automatic feeding · remote control |
|---|---|
| Take-out & stacking devices | 2 sets |
| Auto flattening | 1 unit per press |
Conveyors & storage silosHandling
Z-type and elevator conveyors link every stage; single- and double-outlet silos buffer processed fibre.
| Z conveyor | L 8,000 × H 4,000 mm · 4 kW |
|---|---|
| Elevator conveyor | L 12,000 × H 6,000 mm · 4 kW |
| Silos | 1-outlet + 2-outlet storage silos |
| Supply | 380 V · 3-phase · 60 Hz |
Control components are sourced from global brands: Siemens PLCs and frequency converters, Schneider Electric switchgear and relays, WEINVIEW HMIs, NOK sealing elements, and Huade hydraulics.
Production capacity
Operating scenarios
Each press produces 85–90 pallets per 12 hours. A future fourth press can lift annual output by 33%.
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| Scenario | Output per press | Total (3 presses) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 shift (12 hours) | 85–90 | 255–270 |
| 2 shifts (24 hours) | 170–180 | 510–540 |
| Monthly (2 shifts × 30 days) | — | 15,300–16,200 |
Production flexibility: with the same components, the line can manufacture other essential products as market needs evolve — such as wooden boxes and furniture pieces.
Discuss your project or supply needs
Our team is ready to answer your technical and operational questions.