Before: Corrugated box maker Caps Cases, based in Glasgow, recently installed a new waste extraction system. Highlander were delighted and honoured to play a part in this exciting project. The reduction in performance over time of the existing, near 40-year-old extraction system, resulted in significant manual removal of waste corrugated off-cuts via 1100 liter wheeled bins, to a Highlander supplied compactor and hydraulic tipper system, which while worked well, was very time consuming.
Objective: To simplify, save time, reduce manual handling and subsequently, save money, by making the waste removal process as smooth, efficient and automated as possible.
After: Caps decided to move their entire waste handling system to the opposite side of their yard and install a new waste extraction system with fan, separator and acoustic booth, which reduces the manual requirement to ‘shovel’ cardboard waste into wheeled bins, to then be heaved up to the hydraulic tipper gate and compacted, by 95%. The waste will now be drawn into the compactor hopper via air suction, from the various generation points in the factory, with the compactor machine automatically activating and pushing waste into an attached container, by use of proximity sensors. This will allow material payloads of about 4.5 tons to be achieved, in a 35-yard HL5 compactor container, meaning reduced transport costs and reduced CO2 emissions, for each collection.
How? Firstly, Highlander uplifted the existing compactor hopper and tipper cage, on a Monday morning and in conjunction with Caps, left the machine with temporary safety systems to allow the factory to keep making boxes. The hopper and cage were both reworked and strengthened to accommodate the new air separator on the top, new proximity switch and extended tipper safety cage and this had to be completed by the Friday and repainted too! On the Saturday, Highlander removed the existing air system and support frame which sat around the compactor and sent the scrap for recycling. Finally the reworked cage and hopper were returned ready to be re-installed and we completed the job by moving the compactor system to its new location, re-fitting the cage & hopper and placing the separator on top, ready for the air extraction company to come in later and commission – job done!
The outcome: Caps Cases can now handle significantly more cardboard waste than previously, which is MASSIVE, freeing up resources, opening the opportunity for more business, a much safer recycling process and of course happy staff! This is exactly what we do for our customers! We have a solution to every problem and we’ll make it work with, our amazing team of staff and engineers and big shout out to Maintenance Manager Paul Scott, who was instrumental in getting everything done on time!
