Industry Focus: Topsoil and Compost Production
- Gyru-Star Team
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
For compost producers and topsoil suppliers, screening is a critical final step. Whether removing oversized material, improving consistency or increasing product value, effective screening directly impacts profitability.
The Challenge: Rising Costs and Wet Conditions
Compost production often operates on tight margins. Investing in a standalone trommel or screening plant represents a significant capital outlay, alongside ongoing costs for transport, fuel, storage space and maintenance. For many farms, landscaping businesses and smaller-scale producers, that level of investment can be difficult to justify.
Wet material presents a second challenge. Compost retains moisture, particularly in colder months or during periods of rainfall. Conventional trommel and mesh screens frequently clog under these conditions, reducing output or forcing operators to delay processing altogether.
Poly-star screening buckets address both issues simultaneously. By mounting directly onto carriers already on site, they eliminate the need for additional machinery or dedicated screening plant. More importantly, these buckets continue to work effectively in damp conditions, thanks to the rolling action created by the poly-stars. This gently breaks apart clumps of wet material, rather than allowing them to block the screening media.
The result is consistent throughput and improved material quality, even when conditions are far from ideal.
Purple Mountain Organics – Maryland, United States
Purple Mountain Organics, in Maryland, is an organic farm focused on supporting local food sustainability through regenerative practices. A core part of its sustainable farming practices is producing its own compost from food waste, woodchip, leaves and other farm compostables.
After 18 months of composting, the material has to be screened to remove any particles above ½”, as these will rob plants of essential nitrogen. While Purple Mountain’s owner, Nazirahk Amen, had explored a number of trommel and agitator sieve screens, nothing was able to handle wet materials efficiently. This meant they were unable to use the material they had stockpiled.
This is why, in early 2025, they approached New Jersey-based Ransome Attachments, their local Gyru-Star dealer. Owner Eric Ransome soon arranged an on-site demonstration to allow Nazirahk to test a screening bucket for himself.
As the farm already operated a Takeuchi medium-frame skid steer, the Gyru-Star 3-150SL was the ideal choice. For this application, the bucket was fitted with a 10 mm fragment kit.
During the demonstration, Eric reported that they were able to screen 10–15 yds/hour of the wet compost, and he estimated that 15–20 yds/hour would be easily achievable as the material dried out in warmer weather.
Thanks to the Gyru-Star screening bucket, Purple Mountain Organics was finally able to start using the compost it had been producing for the previous two years.
Shuler’s Mulch and Grading – North Carolina, United States
Much like Purple Mountain Organics, Shuler’s Mulch and Grading struggled to process wet materials, in this case topsoil, with traditional screening equipment. Company owner Tony Shuler bought his Gyru-Star 4-100HE screening bucket from Ransome Attachments before the first shipment had even arrived in the United States.
Although initially sceptical of the polyurethane stars, it took only 30 minutes of screening for Tony to realise that the bucket outperformed his $80,000 truck-mounted screening plant.
“I’ve got an $80,000 screen plant,” Tony says. “If I’d have had this (Gyru-Star), I would have never bought that.”
The ability to screen without crushing or shredding was also a major advantage for Tony, as it allowed him to produce a much higher-quality product.
“This (polyurethane) works better than the metal because the buckets I’ve looked at with metal crush too,” he says. “I didn’t want to crush; I just wanted to separate my limbs, sticks and root mat from the dirt. This is also cheaper than doing it with those other buckets.”
For Tony, the combination of lower operating costs, wet-weather capability and improved product quality made the decision clear.
Halmstad Cemeteries – Sweden
In Halmstad, local cemeteries use a Gyru-Star 4-150MAX to produce high-quality compost and topsoil across multiple sites.
Previously, compost production had been outsourced to a contractor using a harp system, which was quickly becoming costly. By bringing screening in-house, the cemetery administration reduced long-term costs while also improving product quality.
“In the past, we have hired a local contractor who went over our compost with a harp, but it became quite expensive, and we saw that we could do the job ourselves with better results and, in the long run, at a lower cost,” says Lars Malmberg from the cemetery administration.
Mounted to a Komatsu compact wheel loader, the bucket is used across five cemetery locations. In addition to compost processing, it has been used to recycle sand, gravel and construction waste from local church grounds.
“If we’re going to dig up a lawn somewhere, we can process the material on-site. We don’t need to move it backwards and forwards to a screening plant,” Lars added. “It’s a massive environmental benefit.”
Processing material on site has removed the need to transport it back and forth to a screening plant, reducing handling and environmental impact. What began as a solution for compost screening has become a versatile tool integrated into daily operations.
The Halmstad Cemetery administration purchased their Gyru-Star 4-150MAX screening bucket from MTT Sweden AB.
Why Gyru-Star?
Across these three case studies, the pattern is clear. Gyru-Star screening buckets offer reliable performance in all conditions, lower capital and operating costs, and in many cases produce a higher-quality product.
But with a number of manufacturers to choose from, why did these three operators choose Gyru-Star? What sets this brand apart from the competition?
True Screening®
Gyru-Star screening buckets can screen almost any material without crushing or shredding, producing two clean products: a process called True Screening®. This makes them ideal for removing rocks, roots and other debris from compost, as the result is a much higher-quality product.
Built for Wet Material
A stainless steel non-stick floor prevents material building up inside the bucket, maintaining a consistent feed into the rotors. The rolling action of the polyurethane stars keeps compost moving, even when damp.
Low Maintenance by Design
The carbon belt driveline is self-tensioning and requires no lubrication. Combined with sealed bearings throughout, this minimises maintenance requirements and reduces the risk of hydrocarbon contamination in sensitive environments.
Strength Without Excess Weight
The multi-layer monocoque shell increases durability while reducing the overall weight. This allows for a larger screening area on the same size bucket compared to competitors.
Optimised for Efficiency
With 31 models across six series, the Gyru-Star range covers:
1–30 tonne excavators
1–15 tonne loaders (including tractors, telehandlers and compact loaders)
1–9 tonne skid steers
Each model is engineered for its specific weight class, ensuring maximum efficiency and allowing operators to utilise the machinery that’s already on site.
Screening, Blending and Aerating in One Pass
The rolling poly-star action not only separates material but also simultaneously blends and aerates it. Combining these functions into a single operation improves workflow efficiency and reduces overall handling time.
14-Finger Stars for Compost
At PlantWorx 2025, Gyru-Star introduced a new 14-finger screening star for the 10 mm fragment kit. The additional fingers increase contact with the material during screening, helping prevent long, thin particles and lightweight contaminants such as plastic or paper from slipping through the rotors. The design was developed in direct response to feedback from compost producers looking for cleaner, more consistent screening results.
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Across diverse operations and climates, the conclusion remains the same: when cost, flexibility and wet-weather performance matter, Gyru-Star screening buckets provide a practical and proven solution for compost screening.
To learn more, or for expert guidance on selecting the right bucket for your application, contact your local Gyru-Star dealer.
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