In order to make the packaging of its products more environmentally friendly, Pentair Südmo GmbH decided to dispense with disposable materials and integrate a twistpac system from packaging specialist romwell GmbH & Co. KG, including a bottom flap folder and carton sealer, into its packaging line.
When packaging hygienic and aseptic valves, the manufacturer used packaging chips as filling material. Bubble wrap was also used to prevent damage. The romwell system uses flat corrugated cardboard and an environmentally friendly special film to form a cushioning and fixing protective packaging. She is Adapted to standard pallet sizes and is characterised by its high level of flexibility and security. This is accompanied by a reduction in packaging and operating costs, as this solution can also be used for the dispatch of spare parts.
Focus on sustainability and environmental friendliness
„The requirements for the packaging of individual components are extremely high, especially in the food industry,“ explains Stefan Jargstorff, Material Manager Site Lead at Pentair Südmo GmbH, manufacturer of hygienic and aseptic valves and components for the food and beverage, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. „Packaging solutions must be lightweight and be able to be labelled with all legally required information. At the same time, they must be designed small enough to be easy to handle and also be suitable for Brand identity of the product to fit. Above all, however, they must fulfil all specifications regarding the Food safety and hygienee correspond.“ Sustainability and environmental friendliness also play a role, which is why companies should pay particular attention to these factors when selecting their packaging solution.
Solution with corrugated cardboard and special film
„The packaging chips used to fill the parcels repeatedly caused problems both in-house and for our customers. The load security of valves weighing up to 70 kilograms, for example, is not sufficient. The individual parts can only be fixed in place with great effort. A certain risk of the products hitting each other, for example, cannot be ruled out,“ explains Jargstorff. In order to completely rule out damage, Pentair used Additional bubble wrap wrapped around the valves.
However, this film is environmentally critical and also not particularly safe to pack. „It also happened that customers accidentally discarded valves, seals and other small parts with the filling material because they were overlooked during unpacking,“ adds the Material Manager. In order to fulfil the hygiene standards of the food industry, Pentair also had to ensure that the Packaging process completely wood-free otherwise there would be an increased risk of mould and soiling.
In search of an alternative
A new, more environmentally friendly and cheaper packaging concept was sought and finally developed together with the packaging specialist romwell: The twistpac TL603, a bottom flap folder and a carton sealer now form the customised individual system packaging solution for the component manufacturer Pentair Südmo.
The twistpac system enables products weighing up to 90 kilograms to be placed on corrugated cardboard trays. Fully automated and close to the contour with sturdy and environmentally friendly film so that they can be securely fixed for further transport. „The corrugated cardboard acts as a cushion in the event of falls, while the film prevents the goods from falling over or bouncing,“ says Stefan Jargstorff. Bottom flap folders and carton sealers serve as additional aids during packaging.
One system for multiple products
The TL wrapping system is a winding system that Constructive packaging machine, which forms cushioning and fixing protective packaging from flat corrugated cardboard and an elastic film. The system can be integrated into an automated packaging line and, with ring diameters of 40, 60, 80 or 100 centimetres, is suitable for objects of different sizes and weights.
Depending on the application and internal process structures, the trays can, for example, be automatically transported with the load into the wrapper and from there placed in a prepared carton in the bottom flap folder, so that hardly any personnel are required for the entire process. Packages that do not meet the specifications are recognised by sensors on the ring at an early stage and rejected, preventing damage or blockages in the machine.
„With our twistpac system Varying product dimensions no problem Thanks to its flexibility, the plastic membrane moulds itself to any shape,“ explains Markus Jendert, the responsible project manager at romwell. „First of all, the format of the tray and the amount of film required to cushion the goods are selected and programmed into the system. With Pentair's valves, it was important to cater to the desired pallet sizes and reduce the overall storage volume and thus also the logistics costs.“
Ideal for order-orientated picking
Previously, there was collective packaging for the valves with one outer carton per customer order with 15 different carton sizes, which were used depending on the product dimensions. „For packaging, we use the Order-orientated picking method “, explains Stefan Jargstorff. „Thanks to the new packaging solution, we were able to set up a finished goods warehouse and can now carry out the packaging process directly after production or assembly.“
The packaged goods are stored safely and securely on shipping pallets. The trays are designed so that several layers can be stacked on top of each other. The tray sizes can also be predefined so that they can be used both as inserts for the pallet containers and for their own outer cartons. „The entire shipping process is now much safer than before; damage during transport, such as packages hitting through or against each other, can be avoided in the best possible way,“ says the expert from Pentair Südmo.
[infotext icon]romwell GmbH & Co. KG, based in Breitscheidt, Germany, specialises in sophisticated packaging solutions made from environmentally friendly materials and technologies. The company is now recognised as a pioneer in the development and production of integrated packaging concepts. The machines that produce the packaging and protect the products are developed in-house by experienced engineers[/infotext].
