Sielaff SiCompact 2020

The SiCompact 2020 is Sielaff's response to full-capacity reverse vending operation, and it is a fundamentally different machine from the smaller ECO series — not simply a scaled-up version of it.

The base model measures 1,880 mm in height, 1,350 mm in width and 1,130 mm in depth, and weighs approximately 420 kg without collection container. This requires approximately 1.53 square metres of floor space. For comparison within the same manufacturer: the SiCompact ECO requires 0.80 square metres, just under half.

The XL model is substantially larger: 1,880 × 1,880 × 1,480 mm and approximately 650 kg. At this weight, floor load capacity ceases to be a formality and becomes a specification that must be confirmed before installation — Sielaff does not provide it.

Both models are indoor units. Designed for pre-checkout areas or indoor return points, not for outdoor installation.

The key difference from the smaller series, however, is not in dimensions but in power requirements. See the section on Power & Energy — this determines the choice before any other specification is considered.

Here lies the reason to choose this series, and it sets it clearly apart from the ECO series.

Item recognition is standard on the 2020 series, not optional: camera-based, rotation-free Omega 360-degree recognition in real time, combined with precision scales. According to the manufacturer, weight, barcode, shape and security features are verified.

This is precisely the function that is a paid option on the ECO series. Those choosing the lower cost get a collection machine with compaction, but no reliable deposit verification. On the 2020 series this question is resolved — and this is the substantive core of the price difference between the series.

'Rotation-free' means in practice that the item does not need to be turned for the barcode to be read. With older reverse machines, this turning is precisely what creates the queue time you see building up in front of the machine.

Operation is via a 10.1-inch HD touchscreen.

No information on connectivity is found in the reviewed sources. On a machine whose collection containers must be emptied, fill-level monitoring would be the obvious benefit — this is not documented. The same applies to point-of-sale integration, without which a deposit receipt issued by the machine will not be recognized at the operator's checkout. Both should be explicitly included in any quote.

Throughput is the defining metric for this series: up to 60 items per minute. Calculated hourly, this is 3,600 items — the hourly figure is our conversion; Sielaff quotes the per-minute rate.

This figure is not published for the ECO series and must not be assumed to apply to it. It is why the 2020 series belongs in a supermarket handling peak weekend traffic, while the ECO belongs in a petrol station convenience shop.

Items are collected in half-pallet roll containers. The XL model accepts two full-pallet roll containers. Sielaff does not state a unit capacity, which is understandable with compacted items — the density depends on the material. For staffing planning, nonetheless: the number of empties per week must be estimated by the operator based on their actual return volume.

There is a clear distinction between the two models on product acceptance. The base model takes single-use PET and cans. The XL additionally accepts reusable containers, glass, beverage cartons and cups with EAN codes. For a German full-range retailer, this is the defining line: those who accept reusables and glass — and this is the standard case — need the XL model or a second solution alongside it.

Operating a reverse machine consists of three tasks: changing containers, cleaning, and clearing jammed items.

The design facilitates container changes: half-pallet roll containers can be moved with a standard pallet jack; the XL model, with two full-pallet containers, similarly. Compaction reduces the number of changes needed. How often changes are required depends on volume; Sielaff does not provide a unit count.

Cleaning is routinely underestimated for this machine class. Unrinsed bottles and cans with residual contents enter the machine, and with the XL, also glass and beverage cartons. The interior, acceptance opening and compaction area require a fixed cleaning schedule, or the machine becomes an odour problem. Sielaff does not specify a cleaning interval.

On maintenance: Sielaff is based in Herrieden, and spare-parts availability for Sielaff machines is good through several German distributors — we have documented this for beverage machines of the same brand. For this reverse machine series, we have no parts pricing data.

An operational point not in the datasheet: return requirements follow from the Packaging Act and apply to the extent an operator sells deposits-liable single-use packaging themselves. The benchmark is therefore not revenue per machine, but labour time saved versus manual handling at the checkout — and at 60 items per minute, this leverage is substantial.

This is the specification that must be confirmed before any other, and it is a site question.

The SiCompact 2020 requires three-phase power: 3L/N/PE, 400 volts, 50 Hz. Maximum power draw is 2,630 W on the base model, 70 W in standby. The XL model draws up to 4,000 W.

The smaller ECO series from the same manufacturer, by contrast, runs single-phase at 220–230 volts with a maximum 1,500 W — a standard outlet with its own circuit breaker suffices. This is not a minor detail: three-phase power is an electrician's job and, depending on the building, a construction project. Anyone retrofitting an existing location should therefore check what power is already at the wall. The answer determines which series to choose.

On a reverse machine, the standby figure is the more honest metric, because the machine is idle most of the day. At continuous standby, 70 W calculates to approximately 613 kWh annually — before a single item is processed. At current commercial electricity rates, this is roughly €180–210 per year. Compaction draw is additional and depends on volume.

Sielaff does not publish annual consumption, and the 2,630 W maximum draw is not suitable for forecasting — it flows only under load. Anyone projecting running costs needs a consumption figure for the specific configuration ordered.

We do not quote a price for this machine. Sielaff does not publish prices for reverse machines, and we have found no distributor offering one of this series with a published price — unlike beverage machines from the same brand, where several specialist dealers carry list prices. Reverse technology is project-based sales with the trade.

What can be reliably calculated is standby: approximately 613 kWh annually, roughly €180–210. To this add labour for container changes and cleaning. Spare-parts pricing for this series is not available.

Four line items must be explicitly separate in any quote:

First, the electrical connection. 400-volt three-phase, up to 4,000 W on the XL — this capacity rarely exists at the desired location.

Second, floor load capacity, particularly for the XL at approximately 650 kg plus filled roll containers.

Third, point-of-sale integration. A deposit receipt that is not recognized at the operator's checkout creates precisely the friction the machine is meant to eliminate.

Fourth, a service agreement with response time. A broken-down reverse machine means manual handling at the checkout and directly costs labour time.

Final assessment: the 2020 series pays for itself where return volume is high and variable, and where built-in recognition is required. Choosing the ECO under these conditions saves on the connection but costs more in recognition. Conversely, with low single-use volume, a three-phase connection would be installed for power that is never needed.