Keyword waste management: The use of HSM baling presses at VAN HEES, a manufacturer of additives and spices, demonstrates the untapped savings potential of plastic and cardboard waste.
23 January 2019
VAN HEES spice packaging (Image: HSM)
Savings of more than 100,000 euros per year, a return on investment of nine months and lower personnel costs: the additive and spice manufacturer VAN HEES GmbH is happy with its five HSM baling presses. They help the company to avoid transport costs and optimise internal processes.
VAN HEES GmbH is active on three continents. Specialist for additives and spice blends around meat production. The main plant in Walluf produces large quantities of plastic and cardboard waste. The waste used to be transported uncompressed within the company, and the transport costs were high. The process was cumbersome and the labour involved was considerable.
On a treasure hunt
Marc Wohlbold, Production Project Manager at VAN HEES, focussed the company's attention on the issue of waste: „Perhaps not a sexy topic, but one with a lot of savings potential.“ He helped to unearth a previously unrecognised treasure. He didn't have to search for long at the meat production supplier. The gold was found in large quantities in the rubbish bins, or more precisely in 20 cubic metre container presses, in which all the waste was stored. Packaging waste from production were disposed of unsorted and unpressed.
The 4,000 products are manufactured in Walluf using 1,400 recipes, all packed either in big bags or in sacks. The annual Waste quantities are impressive due to the packaging of the raw materials: 113 tonnes of big bags, 90 tonnes of film, 90 tonnes of cardboard and 60 tonnes of paper.
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Wohlbold's first step in the Waste managementThe company began to separate the fractions. VAN HEES then changed its waste disposal company and from then on received compensation for its recyclable materials. The third stage of the waste evolution was the optimisation of the company's internal processes and the consideration of setting up baling presses in production so that in future only pressed 400-kilo bales transported by the company.
Marc Wohlbold, Project Manager Production VAN HEES GmbH (Image: HSM)
„With the baling presses at the plant, we produce bales of recyclable material that are easy to utilise. When market prices are good, we earn money with our ‚waste‘. Optimised processes are an added bonus,“ explains Marc Wohlbold.
Opting for tried and tested expertise
After a pleasant and convincing dialogue with those responsible at HSM GmbH + Co KG, Frickingen, the decision was made to purchase a V-Press 860 S, which impressed with its excellent workmanship and „Made in Germany“ quality. HSM customised the vertical baler to the needs of the new customer and provided the machine with hydraulic oil that is approved for the food industry. VAN HEES also received a machine with vertical sliding door for filling because it is quicker to close than a side door. The S version has a Reinforced press box, Walluf produces large quantities of plastics (polypropylene).
Proven in continuous use
Five years after its first use at VAN HEES, „this machine is still running perfectly,“ reports Wohlbold. And that in heavy continuous use, because pressing big bags is no child's play. The material is expansive anyway, plus the high aggressiveness of the residues: salts, acetates or spices.
It all started with one baler, and today five HSM V-Press 860s are at work at VAN HEES. Three in the mixing department, one in the filling department and one in the goods-in and goods-out department for cardboard packaging. In addition, there are two manually operated HSM V-Press 60 mobile baling presses, which ensure tidiness and cleanliness in the dispatch area. The company in Walluf is also satisfied with the manufacturer's service.
Pressing big bags requires power. (Image: HSM)
Savings and revenues
The presses throw at VAN HEES marketable bales of 320 to 420 kilograms in weight. The company either sells the recyclable material itself or uses a trading company, depending on the offer. The management is very satisfied with the innovations in waste management at the headquarters. Expectations have ultimately been exceeded, and when the prices are good, VAN HEES even earns money with the waste from production, says the project manager. The concept from Walluf could therefore also be of interest to other production sites in the Group, he says.
Marc Wohlbold concludes: „The topic of waste is present in the minds of VAN HEES today, not least thanks to our experience with the utilisation of pressed recyclable materials. The treasure has been discovered and unearthed.“
[infotext icon]VAN HEES decided to press the waste on site in production and only transport bales ready for sale in-house. In the meantime, a total of five HSM V-Press 860 vertical baling presses and two HSM V-Press 60 baling presses have been purchased. The presses process big bags (polypropylene), film, cardboard and paper[/infotext].
