Industrial Drum Mixers (Barrel Mixers) for 60–220 L Drums
We have been building drum mixers alongside our IBC mixers since the mid-2010s. The customer base for drums is different from the IBC side. Where IBC tote mixers typically go to mid-sized chemistry and food plants, drum mixers go to furniture coating shops, small paint manufacturers, food processors and chemical formulators working with 200 L drums as their main container. Many of our customers start with a drum mixer and graduate to IBC later when their production scales up.
The range covers five models. Two for open-head drums with a transport bridge (MBEO series), two for plastic drums with a lid (MBEP series), and one pneumatic version for shops that want to skip the electric installation in the mixing area. Standard lead time is two weeks from order.
The 5 models in our drum mixer range
| Model |
Drive |
Drum type |
Viscosity |
Primary customers |
| MBEO-500 |
electric |
open-head drum, top clamp |
500 mPa*s |
Furniture coating, small paint shops |
| MBEO-5000 |
electric |
open-head drum, top clamp |
5,000 mPa*s |
Heavy coatings, resins, adhesives in open drums |
| MBEP-500 |
electric |
plastic drum with lid (HDPE) |
500 mPa*s |
Food and chemistry — quick re-mix of low-viscosity liquids |
| MBEP-5000 |
electric |
plastic drum with lid (HDPE) |
5,000 mPa*s |
Chemistry plants with thicker media in sealed plastic drums |
| MBPP-1000 |
pneumatic |
plastic drum with lid (HDPE) |
1,000 mPa*s |
Coating shops and chemistry where running cost of power matters |
Open-head or lid-mount — which one do you need?
The first question we ask a customer who is sizing a drum mixer is what the drum looks like at the top.
If you can unbolt the entire top and the whole drum opens up — that is an open-head drum. The MBEO series mounts on a top clamp around the rim, with a full-size propeller that drops straight in. Furniture coating shops and small paint manufacturers buy these for solvent paints, alkyd lacquers and heavier coatings stored in steel or fibre drums with bolted lids.
If the drum is a sealed plastic chemical drum (HDPE) with a removable plastic lid — that is the territory of the MBEP series. We mount the mixer directly into the original lid of the drum. The propeller passes through the lid opening and unfolds inside. This is a feature we built specifically for chemistry and food customers who want a clean install without aftermarket brackets bolted to the drum rim. Most competitors will sell you an external clamp; we integrate the mixer into the drum's own lid.
Electric or pneumatic?
For most drum applications, electric is cheaper to run and easier to control. The MBEO and MBEP series cover the standard cases.
The pneumatic MBPP-1000 is the right pick in two situations. One is a coating shop where running electricity into the mixing area is more hassle than it is worth — many customers tell us this is the deciding factor. The other is chemistry production with solvent vapours where a drive with no electric components is preferable on principle (the air motor produces no electric sparks by design). Both reasons show up regularly in our orders.
Customers who buy our drum mixers
- Furniture coating — alkyd lacquers, polyurethane stains, water-based wood coatings. Open-head MBEO models dominate here.
- Small paint manufacturers — primer batches, colour matching, tinting. MBEO-500 for water-based, MBEO-5000 or MBPP-1000 for solvent-bearing media.
- Food processors — sauces, dressings, syrups, flavour concentrates in HDPE drums. MBEP-500 and MBEP-5000 with 316Ti food-contact propellers.
- Chemistry plants — detergents, cleaning concentrates, disinfectants, polymer dilutions. MBEP series for sealed plastic drums; MBPP-1000 where solvents are involved.
- Adhesive shops — PUR and MS adhesives in 200 L drums.
Common questions before ordering
What drum sizes are supported?
Standard range is 60 to 220 L. The MBEO series fits open-head drums from about 120 L up to 220 L (standard steel and fibre drums). The MBEP and MBPP series fit plastic chemical drums with HDPE lids, typically 120, 150, 200 and 220 L. Occasionally a customer asks for a smaller drum — 20 L or 50 L. We do not stock that as a catalogue item, but we have built custom mixers for those sizes when the production case is clear. Lead time is longer because each one is individual.
Will it fit my plastic drum brand?
The MBEP and MBPP versions are designed around the standard HDPE drum lid. Most chemical drum manufacturers use the same lid pattern, so compatibility is usually fine. If your drum brand is unusual or you are not sure, send us a photo of the lid or the drum specification before ordering. We will confirm same day.
What about food-grade or pharma applications?
The wetted propeller on every drum mixer is 316Ti acid-resistant stainless steel approved for food contact under EC 1935/2004 — same grade we use in the IBC range. Food processors typically buy the MBEP-500 for quick re-homogenisation of syrups and concentrates between dispensing batches. For higher hygiene specifications (FDA CFR 21 documentation, 3-A Sanitary adaptation), we upgrade the wetted parts and supply paperwork.
Lead time?
Standard models ship in two weeks from order. Custom drum sizes or hygienic specifications add time because each unit is engineered individually.
If you are also looking at IBC totes
Many of our customers run both — drums for smaller batches and IBC totes for bulk runs. The IBC mixers category covers ten models for 1000 L containers, with electric, pneumatic and ATEX-certified versions. The folding propeller technology is the same family, scaled up. If your production needs both formats, we can quote them together and you keep one supplier for spare parts.
Talk to us
If you know the drum type and what you mix, ordering from the catalogue is straightforward. If you have an unusual drum size, a borderline ATEX situation, or you are not sure between open-head and lid-mount — call our sales line or send a few details. We come back within a working day with a model recommendation.
