Compact plant for making steel bars and profiles with which, starting from the scrap, it is possible to obtain the finished product, for example bars with commercial length from 6 to 18 meters, pre-packed, packaged and ready for sale, with all the stations placed in line and operating continuously. All the stations are arranged in reduced spaces, thereby reducing both investment costs and plant management costs, and decreasing production times. Advantageously, the plant of the invention incorporates an extremely compact bar packaging apparatus which, through an innovative arrangement and innovative operating method of the components thereof, allows a further reduction in length.