“Van Beek’s bag compactor is a sustainable technical solution for our customer’s issue; compressing packaging film as part of the production process. In choosing Van Beek as a partner, flexibility, proactive thinking and customisation were major factors”, says Patrick van Heijningen, account manager at technical wholesaler Bienfait in Haarlem.
Less volume
Many raw materials are delivered in 25kg plastic, paper or jute bags, which, once emptied, produce a large volume waste stream. A cost item that also requires a huge amount of storage and logistical operations. Van Beek’s bag compactor compresses the empty bags by squeezing them together under the pressure generated by the screw inside the machine. The compressed bags are compressed into an endless bag which is then collected in a protective cage. “By reducing the volume to around 80 per cent, the waste stream takes up less space and requires fewer logistic operations. The bag compactor is also a more efficient, environmentally friendly and lower cost solution than a hydraulic press”, Joram van der Heijden, Sales Engineer at Van Beek Schroeftransport, explains. The standardised version is available in stainless steel 304, stainless steel 316, a steel-coated variant, and also in an ATEX version.
Customisation for a continuous process
The standard version of a bag compactor is a stand-alone machine designed for a discontinuous process, and can be used either as a stationary or mobile machine. Heijningen: “Our customer, Mora Produktie B.V. in Maastricht, was specifically looking for a continuous solution for the continuous waste flow from loose 25kg bags to a compressed output, as part of the production process. The details were discussed in talks with Van Beek, after which a technical offer with a detailed drawing soon followed.” As part of a continuous process, the bag compactor was modified from manual feed to conveyor feed with a feed bin at the top. The control button was relocated and an emergency stop fitted. The machine is mechanically and electronically interconnected, making it part of the entire production process. This means there is communication between the various machines. For this reason, the bag compactor’s controls are linked to the parent control system. Van der Heijden: “The customisation needed only minimal fine-tuning. This was a good sign, because it meant that the preliminary process, in cooperation with Bienfait, had been very constructive.”
Short lines
In the southern Netherlands, the customised bag compactor compresses packaging film to complete satisfaction, thanks to the solid collaboration between Bienfait and Van Beek. Van der Heijden: “Through excellent and frequent contact with Bienfait, the request for assistance was made clear in order to provide an actual technical solution. Bienfait is extremely happy with their decision to choose Van Beek as a partner. “Even before making our decision, we had a positive feeling about Van Beek. In practice, this feeling proved to be fully justified; everything was communicated clearly and efficiently, and the lines of communication were short. They engaged proactively, and were very flexible. In short, Bienfait is extremely satisfied. As a supplier, Van Beek made a very good impression on us, not least for the technical solution they provided us with.”
