Chemion Logistik GmbH fills plastic granulates at the CHEMPARK Krefeld, packages them on site, and loads them onto trucks. The facility operates various filling systems for Form-Fill-Seal (FFS) bags and big bags, as well as several truck loading systems supplied by HAVER & BOECKER. In spring 2015, one of the FFS lines was модерnized and upgraded to the latest state of the art. The growing maintenance and repair requirements of the twelve-year-old machine made the retrofit necessary.
“We were very satisfied with the machine and its performance, but not all the required spare parts were always available anymore. To improve machine availability, we needed to take action.”
Gerhard Vieten
Plant Engineer Silo Logistics, Chemion
A particular challenge was the extremely short preparation period and the limited time available for the retrofit itself, which had to be carried out during a planned production shutdown.
Following an on-site assessment by HAVER & BOECKER specialists and the definition of the project scope, the timeline moved quickly. Due to requirements set by the silo facility operator Covestro AG, which strongly supported the modernization project, only 3.5 months remained between the official order placement and the start of the retrofit work.
As required, HAVER & BOECKER completed all modifications to the FFS filling line before operations resumed. The actual retrofit work carried out in May 2015 took only 2.5 weeks.
“That’s a record.”
Rüdiger Reckmann
Project Manager, HAVER Chemicals
The retrofit focused primarily on reducing maintenance frequency and duration.
Six drive motors were upgraded, eliminating the need for the brake replacements that had previously been required every six months. The sealing stations were also modernized, enabling more precise operation and significantly faster replacement of sealing jaws. As a result, maintenance tasks previously requiring one hour every four weeks can now be completed in just a few minutes.
The gripper carriages were replaced with lower-maintenance alternatives, further reducing maintenance effort and increasing machine availability.
In addition, the HAVER & BOECKER team installed a thin-film package. Whereas the standard film thickness had previously ranged from 100 to 200 μm, the upgraded system allows the use of films below 100 μm, resulting in significant material cost savings. A new suction-based bag opening station further improved film handling and operational efficiency.
Following the modernization, the machine has been operating with a high level of reliability.
Customer Satisfaction at Chemion
Chemion has been so impressed with the service provided by HAVER & BOECKER that it has maintained service agreements for all HAVER systems since 2003.
Three times a year, service technicians perform comprehensive on-site inspections of the equipment. Based on these assessments, they provide recommendations for repairs and preventive maintenance measures, helping to ensure long-term machine availability and reliable operation.
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