Eliminate packaging static
April 27th 2006 Watford-based A.S.P. Packaging specialises in the conversion of flexible packaging films for the fresh produce, hot bread, bakery and prepared sandwich markets - and it uses Meech anti-static solutions to keep production running smoothly.
A.S.P. employs 37 people at its factory providing major UK supermarket suppliers with a range of the latest flexible packaging products. The company works closely with major film manufacturers to develop new packaging materials including biodegradable and compostable products as well as modified atmosphere packaging film, which is used extensively in the packaging of products such as cut sweetcorn to extend the shelf life of such very time-critical items.
Nothing short of the highest levels of customer service is acceptable to A.S.P.’s customer base and one of the benefits that the company delivers to its customers is static-free packaging. General Manager, Tod Hunter, explains, “During the converting process the packaging materials can accumulate considerable amounts of static charge which could potentially cause our customers problems when they come to use them. Therefore we remove that charge before our products leave our factory gates.” On leaving Watford some of these packaging materials then make the journey to such exotic destinations as Guatemala, for the wrapping of ginger and garlic and to Kenya for the mange-tout and bean crops.
In addition to using Meech’s conventional AC static products during the slitter-rewinder process, helping to reduce charge build-up on the material, A.S.P. has also installed Meech long-range Pulsed DC anti-static equipment on its high speed wicketing machines, which run up to 400 cycles/minute. In this situation only long-range devices can be used and the Meech Pulsed DC solution increases the effective ionisation range to provide a robust and effective solution.
Left untreated, the static build up on these packaging materials causes processing problems including machine-jamming, resulting in increased machine maintenance and downtime, as well as material wastage. Tod Hunter sums up, “A.S.P. has been using Meech static elimination equipment for many years to provide us with smooth production and packing processes. The Meech solutions are technically advanced and very reliable, which to a company such as our own, producing in the region of 1500 tonnes of packaging product each year, is absolutely essential.”
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