07/22/2026

Intelligent bag inspection for maximum efficiency

With a jointly developed Industry 4.0 solution, HAVER & BOECKER and NEXE d.d. are setting new benchmarks in cement bagging operations. The innovative bag scanner enables seamless real-time quality monitoring, increases process efficiency, and lays the foundation for the “intelligent bag.” At the same time, it contributes to cleaner production conditions and higher customer satisfaction.

In Našice, Croatia, the HAVER & BOECKER team found the ideal partner for the implementation and refinement of the first bag scanner.

“At NEXE d.d., Croatia’s second-largest cement producer and a leading member of the internationally successful NEXE Group, everything simply fit perfectly,”

say Mirko Hoffmann, Sales Director Cement, and Alexander Hering, Sales Representative.

“As the only privately owned cement manufacturer in Croatia, NEXE d.d. benefits from flexible, well-functioning, and highly reliable organizational structures.”

These advantages are further strengthened by the strong commitment to innovation demonstrated by long-time CEO Ivan Ergović.

“Through our previous collaboration, we had already come to know NEXE as a company where ideas are actively encouraged and new approaches are successfully put into practice.”

The idea of the bag scanner was immediately welcomed by the Croatian cement producer. As Alexander Hering, Sales Representative at HAVER & BOECKER, explains:

“In the past, the customer repeatedly faced challenges arising from the interaction between the product and the bag. Bags supplied by different manufacturers often exhibited significant variations in quality. The result was high rejection rates and unnecessary waste of resources, including product loss, increasingly expensive bags, labor, and energy costs.”

Working closely together, the project teams from both companies defined the specific requirements and objectives for the bag scanner. After approximately one year of development at HAVER & BOECKER, the system was integrated into the existing fully automatic RADIMAT® bag applicator and commissioned within just a few days in 2021.

Using QR codes printed directly on the empty bags, the scanner identifies each bag batch, monitors production in real time, and documents defects and inefficiencies such as incorrectly positioned bags, bag breakage, filling deviations, or sealing issues.

Christian Remfert, Electrical Engineer at HAVER & BOECKER, together with the NEXE team led by electrical engineers Danijel Koren and Mirko Štefančić, who played a key role in implementing the software, are highly satisfied with the results of the joint project.

“In addition to reducing scrap rates through continuous quality monitoring of bags from different suppliers and production batches, the bag scanner also makes an important contribution to preventing errors when selecting the correct bags, for example during product changeovers.”

The machine identifies the topmost empty bag in the stack, verifies whether the stack is assigned to the product being filled, and automatically adjusts itself to the bag’s dimensions and characteristics.

Furthermore, if the scanned bag stack does not match the selected product, the machine stops automatically, effectively eliminating scrap caused by operator errors.

Through integration with the site's ERP system, the bag scanner also enables precise bag-level inventory tracking for each individual product.

As a result, costly and frustrating stock shortages have become a thing of the past.

The new bag scanner developed by HAVER & BOECKER is integrated directly into the RADIMAT® bag applicator using a specially designed mounting bracket. Alternatively, HAVER & BOECKER also offers a handheld device for scanning applications.

For the hardware, the packaging specialists prioritized maximum resistance to dust, dirt, and high temperatures. However, the most significant aspect of the solution lies in the extensive software customization, which allows the bag scanner to be adapted to the specific requirements, operating conditions, and ERP system of each customer.

With the successful operation of the prototype at the Croatian company NEXE d.d., HAVER & BOECKER has paved the way for further implementation of this innovative Industry 4.0 solution in companies around the world.

The team in Našice is equally enthusiastic about the measurable production improvements and the overall project execution:

“Thanks to the high level of expertise and motivation of all project participants on both sides, as well as the excellent cooperation throughout the project, every phase was completed quickly and smoothly. HAVER & BOECKER has once again proven itself to be a reliable and customer-focused partner for any requirement.”

Driven by the constant drive for optimization among demanding customers worldwide, HAVER & BOECKER develops innovative solutions through its in-house HAVER & BOECKER Institute and Innovation Management team. Drawing on decades of experience and close collaboration with customers, the company creates practical solutions for today while developing the innovations of tomorrow. With the development of a highly efficient bag scanner, the packaging specialists have now laid the foundation for the “intelligent bag” and even greater efficiency in bulk material packaging.

Working closely together, the project teams from both companies defined the specific requirements and performance objectives for the bag scanner. Following approximately one year of development at HAVER & BOECKER, the system was integrated into the existing fully automatic RADIMAT® bag applicator and commissioned within just a few days in 2021.

Using specially printed QR codes on the empty bags, the scanner identifies individual bag batches, monitors production in real time, and records defects and process inefficiencies such as incorrectly positioned bags, bag breakage, or deviations during filling and sealing.

The high standards of NEXE d.d. had already become evident in 2018 with the order of a 16-spout ROTO-PACKER® RVT SEAL Edition. Featuring sixteen high-performance filling spouts, it was the first machine of its kind at the time of commissioning and remains the largest configuration within the ROTO-PACKER product family.

Together with the fully automatic RADIMAT® bag applicator, the system has been delivering optimized production conditions and maximum customer satisfaction since 2019. NEXE d.d. fills three different types of cement into 25 kg and 40 kg paper valve bags, which are primarily sold through DIY and home improvement retailers directly to end consumers.

In addition to the outstanding productivity and reliability of the HAVER & BOECKER packaging line, the plant in Našice particularly benefits from the advanced and dependable SEAL technology, which ensures secure and complete sealing of bag valves.

At the heart of this technology is a specially engineered filling unit that combines multiple integrated functions to ensure dust-free filling of empty bags. The bag valve is then cleanly and securely sealed using the Ultrasonic Sealing Unit, delivering results that are immediately visible and tangible: a compact, securely closed, and clean bag without product loss.

“The entire production process is cleaner than ever before!” says Marko Umiljanović, Head of Engineering at NEXE d.d.

“The benefits are numerous: A clean working environment creates healthier conditions for our employees, reduces the time required for housekeeping tasks, and results in significant savings through reduced machine wear. At the same time, SEAL technology minimizes material loss. Most importantly, our customers are delighted with the cleanliness of our bags.”

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