Food & Drink
18,000 kilograms giveaway a year! An approved weighing system or check weigher can be incorporated to verify the weight of products prior to them being palletised or made ready for distribution. The check weigher must have a suitable reject system to remove bags that are ‘out of tolerance’. In some instances, a simple operator alert is sufficient.
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Pack presentation and contamination - bulk products are by their very nature tough to handle. Stabilisation of bulk bags during the filling and sealing process has plagued bulk manufacturers for some time. Inconsistent sealing can result in product wastage through spillage, while unaided open bags moving from the filler to the sealer risks product contamination. Having a secure grip on the bag at all times during the filling and sealing process is something that Pacepacker’s TBC system addresses. Designed to handle paper, plastic, woven polypropylene, hessian and even nets, the TBC supports and guides bags throughout the filling and closing process. It presents sacks to the stitcher/ sealer with precision, and accurately
seals the most difficult-to-handle, heavy sacks. Resulting in the delivery of a consistent pack, with a premium appearance. With all of these advancements, Paul explains that there has never been a better time for bulk manufacturers to consider investing in automating their bagging and palletising lines to boost productivity and reduce costs. “As with any investment, confidence in your automation partner is paramount. When exploring your options, ask plenty of questions, request demonstrations and check the level of technical support that’s available. Whether you are installing a new system or a second-user system, the most experienced providers should be able to quantify the return on investment.”
Winner of eight industry awards in 24 months, Pacepacker is hosting an open house event in June 2014 at its Essex-based HQ. Bulk handlers are welcome to view the very latest pick and place technologies from the award winning integrator. ■
The Co-op orders second pre-pack Collator system
Delighted with boosting the output of bulk food packing by 10%, the Co-operative Group (The Co-op) recently placed their second order with Pacepacker Services for its newly launched Collator System. The first Collator System – which places pre-packed polybags of bulk food items, such as potatoes, into large outer sacks at a speed of 80 polybags per minute - was integrated into The Co-op’s UK food packing facility just under a year ago. Significantly, the UK’s fifth biggest food retailer reported a 10% rise in output and an overall improvement in efficiency since the prototype’s installation. Pacepacker’s original Collator System was designed and built specifically for The Co-op. With over 4,500 stores nationwide, the retailer sought a solution to the labour intensive task of packing pre-packed polybags of goods into large outer sacks for ease of delivery. Fraser Tait, Operations Manager at the Co-op, comments: “The process of packing pre-packed polybags of products into an outer sack is used as a way to contain and display bulky foods, such as potatoes and other vegetables. However, manually packing these items was both an onerous and cost prohibitive process, and prior to our discussions with Pacepacker we found existing collator systems on the market were inefficient.” Responding to the retailer’s brief, award winning automation specialist Pacepacker designed a standalone system that can be retrofitted to almost any existing sack placing and sealing
16 March 2014 Solids and Bulk Handling
Bagging and sealing technology working in conjunction with weighing systems to deliver consistently sealed bulk bags of produce
For details email: events@pacepacker. com or visit:
www.pacepacker.com
equipment. The Collator specifically addresses drawbacks found in similar systems on the market explains Paul Wilkinson, Pacepacker’s Business Development Manager: “We found that many systems available did not control the fall of the product very well. Due to the weight and density of bulk food items, this often results in pre-packs breaking through the bottom of the outer sack. Our system uses motorised support arms to control the descent of the pre-packed polybags, eliminating damage and waste to both product and pack.” Approaching 12-months since introducing the first Collator System, Fraser Tait concludes: “We are delighted with Pacepacker’s Collator solution. The standalone, compact build of the system has enabled us to effortlessly integrate it into our existing line and the overall success of the prototype has led us to commission a second system.” While a freestanding unit, the Collator System can be combined with Pacepacker’s T Series sack placer and Total Bag Control (TBC) system to provide a turnkey system to achieve exceptional pack presentation. n
Capable of packing up to 80 pre-packed bags the freestanding Collator machine is designed to overcome previous limitations
www.solidsandbulk.co.uk
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