A two-year investment plan
A new injection moulding machine was added last June at the Quadpack Plastics facility in Torelló, Spain, to complete the 11 existing lines. "This EUR 180,000 investment is designed to manufacture high precision luxury jars and can work with both small and large size moulds," said the packaging supplier.
The arrival of this new moulding machine marks the start of a two-year plan to deploy state-of-the-art injection moulding equipment at Quadpack Plastics. “The new machine will allow larger cavitation moulds to be operated,” added the company.
The factory now boasts 12 injection-moulding machines, five screen-printing machines, two UV screen-printing machines, one pad printing machine and five assembly lines.
Since April this year, Quadpack has been streamlining its production facility dedicated to plastic. “The new setup ensures optimal workflow, from injection-moulding, through decoration, to assembly and warehousing. Each production line has been evaluated and upgraded where necessary, with some lines made redundant.”
Decoration and assembly will be managed and supervised by Quadpack Impressions in nearby Torelló, to ensure consistent processes and output from the Manufacturing Division.
Health and safety
Important investment has also been made into staff health and safety measures. Improvements include new safety rails, safety signage, protective enclosures on machinery and new uniforms and personal protective equipment (PPE), while factory personnel have benefited from additional professional training. Upgraded staff facilities are next on the list, with new changing rooms, showers and an improved dining area.
"We’ve done a great deal of work, but there’s still more to do, as we prepare for future growth. Our plans are to maximise production efficiency and minimise reject rates, aiming for a 85% ’World Class’ OEE (overall equipment efficiency). The objective is to achieve a EUR 5 million turnover in three years’ time," said Ernesto Cara, head of the Manufacturing Division.
New emissions control system at Technotraf
Quadpack also made major investments in its wood packaging business, also located in Torelló. As part of its long-term environmental commitment, the Group invested EUR 400,000 in a regenerative thermal oxidiser (RTO) in the Technotraf workshop.
This equipment processes emissions from the Technotraf factory’s spray coating line and ensures its facilities exceed environmental regulations now and in the future. RTOs are the most widespread technique today for reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds or VOCs. Quadpack’s new installation treats VOCs through a process of oxidisation at high temperatures, transforming them into non-pollutant components such as CO2 and H20, in a clean oxidation process. The heat generated is reused to operate the equipment, keeping energy use at a minimum.
With a steady increase in production volumes at the Manufacturing Division, the new RTO will help ensure that its processes have minimal impact on the environment and remain compliant with current and future legislation.
