Cut to Save
- Published: May 01, 2009, By Edited by Claudia Hine, Managing Editor
Label printer Skanem AS — which boasts facilities in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, UK, Poland, Russia, Thailand and Germany — is under pressure to change its waste handling process across the group. The company has a lofty ambition: It wants to get rid of the expensive method of burning its waste and recirculate this material to the production circuit by recycling it.
Dr. Antonius Fornefeld, production manager at the German site in Willich, took the first step: He bought a Cuttobag CB-1000.2 exhausting and waste handling system from MATHO Maschinenbau GmbH.
Self-Adhesive Material
Skanem makes self-adhesive labels using a variety of printing processes in combination with cold and hot foil stamping. Polyethylene and polypropylene surface material on silicon-coated paper or polyethylene terephthalate backing predominantly is used for label production.
The main part of the Matho installation is the Cuttopipe, a patented cutting unit that can be combined with a specially developed lubrication unit suitable to handle self-adhesive material.
The edge trim of silicon-coated paper represents approximately 10%-15% of the entire waste. The new cutting and exhausting system separates this waste so it can be delivered into the recycling process. The fees for this handling are significantly cheaper than the previous combustion process.
A Productivity Boost
In addition to the environmental benefits and the cost savings, Skanem reports an important economical bonus caused by the application of the exhausting system. Fornefeld has seen an increase in productivity in the slitting department of about 3.5%.
In the past, slitting and rewinding had to be interrupted regularly to handle accumulating waste material. Today nonstop production is possible.
Furthermore, the exhausting system keeps the production environment cleaner than before because the dust content in the air released during the slitting process is much lower than in the past.
With the decision to add a Matho cutting and exhausting system, Skanem has combined economical advantages with environmental awareness and, at the same time, has created improved working conditions for its production crew.
Converter Info
Skanem AS | Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Str. 39 | D-47877 Willich-Münchheide II | Germany | +49 2154 9260 | www.skanem.com
Supplier Info
Matho Konstruktion & Maschinenbau GmbH | www.matho.com
Circle 308 or visit www.freeproductinfo.net/pff
