Containers help beef up production

As part of the development of the cold store facility, Dovecote Park was seeking a durable container to work with an automated handling system designed by Van der Lande, which could be stacked and stored easily when not in use.

Simon Knights, Schoeller Allibert regional sales director – UK/Ireland, explained: "After extensive trials, we recommended our 180° Stack Nest tray. Usually made of high density polyethylene (HDPE), we also specified that Dovecote’s containers should instead be made from polypropylene (PP) for improved performance on automated conveyor systems.”

Schoeller Allibert supplied an initial 32,000 180° Stack Nest containers to Dovecote Park, all in red PP and featuring the customer logo to suit the design of the new facility which also incorporated blue mood lighting on the racking.

Peter Boyes, technical manager of Dovecote Park commented: "Compatibility with our new automated handling and racking systems were key when selecting containers for the cold store. As our usual RTP supplier, we approached Schoeller Allibert to run trials and their recommendation for 180° Stack Nest trays in PP has proved very successful. 

"The trays run well through both the automated system and the tray washing equipment we have installed, which is essential with around 3000 trays entering the system each day. The trays are barcoded for ease of identification and, where manual handling is required, have a wide, easy-grip hand-holds. Since our initial order we have requested an additional 2000 180° Stack Nest trays to keep pace with demand.”

Featuring a smooth base and walls and manufactured to food-industry standards, the 180° Stack Nest container is well suited to the processing, storage and transport of meat and fresh produce. The containers stack when loaded and nest when empty by turning through 180°, giving the range its name. Containers are available in a bi-colour design to easily identify the correct position and prevent accidentally damaging contents by nesting while full. When nested, the container saves up to 70% of space compared with stacking, maximising vehicle fill on the return journey and cutting down on the number of trips.