This was due not only to the large number of incoming orders – but also to the enormous dimensions of the large packaging systems, which were in no way comparable with European standards.
A packing plant with five ROTO-PACKER® 12 RS – each with two bagging machines – for a total of 20,000 bags per hour, was built in two construction stages for Ciam Cement, a long-standing HAVER customer, at a plant about 100 kilometres from Bangkok. The building was also designed to accommodate a sixth ROTO-PACKER® as a precaution – although its installation was not initially considered necessary, as an increase in bulk loading was expected at the time. However, the predictions didn’t come true. Consequently, in June 1991 the sixth packer – known in company jargon as the “jumbo packer” – was ordered with all the accessories and four lorry loading systems. Shortly afterwards, the customer requested the packaging data for the usual sea shipping – but also for air freight shipping as an alternative. What was initially thought to be a joke – 100 tonnes by air? – quickly became a reality. The customer had calculated precisely and weighed up the time advantage of several weeks, the earlier start of production and the faster delivery capability of the bagged goods.
In autumn 1991, 54 boxes and crates with a gross weight of 99,639 kilograms were shipped in two partial deliveries in quick succession on the “Jumbo” cargo jet of Taiwanese China Airlines. At DM 280,000, the shipping costs were around DM 170,000 higher than the cost of sea transport, which would have taken 25 days. Time is money.
