Case Studies

Please select a case study to view...

• Zotefoams plc
• Dairy Farmers of Britain Ltd
• Lyreco
• Affordable Window Systems
• Sheridan Fab
• Speedframe
• Netto

ORION DRIVES DOWN QUALITY ISSUES FOR MAJOR WINDOW MANUFACTURER

A specially modified pallet wrapper designed and manufactured by Midlands-based Orion Packaging Systems (UK) Ltd is delivering significant time and cost savings as well as operational benefits for a leading manufacturer of PVC doors and windows.

Based near Rotherham, Speedframe Windows Ltd manufacturers and supplies a wide range of PVC doors, windows and conservatories, the majority of which are supplied to new build projects for major housebuilders including Wimpey, Persimmon and Barratt Homes.

Usually these are divided into a package of doors and windows for each new home, meaning that products of a variety of sizes, shapes and weights have to be collated and packed together. Because of the length of the doors, a standard pallet cannot be used – instead the process employs a 2.5m x 1.m stillage onto which the products are placed horizontally.

The company had previously employed a variety of means for securing each load to the stillage but none has proved entirely satisfactory, as Maintenance Manager Rick Cairns explained: “We had been wrapping by hand but through this we were unable to achieve tight enough wrapping, meaning that the contents were becoming loose during transportation and often getting damaged, causing delay to clients’ work and leaving us with the cost of supplying and sending replacements.

“We had also tried strapping and while this achieved a more secure load it again sometimes caused damage to the products and had the potential to snap meaning the whole load became immediately unstable. It was therefore clear the an urgent review as needed of how our loads were secured.

“We looked at several suppliers but liked the fact that Orion produce their equipment in the UK, meaning service and spares are always close at hand, and the fact that their equipment is simple, efficient and easy to maintain. They were also able to deliver a bespoke machine which could cope with the size of the stillages and could operate 24 hours a day if required.”

The four Orion semi-automatic machines wrap up to 500 loads, five days a week, and quality issues on delivery have become a thing of the past, according to Rick Cairns.

“In the old days of hand wrapping or strapping we were regularly getting calls from clients reporting damage to product on arrival. Since the arrival of the Orion machines that just does not happen – the loads are secure and not subject to chafing from poorly applied strap. We’re saving money because we’re not having to replace products damaged in transit and the Orion equipment plays a key role in that.”

Established in 1987, Orion is today one of only a handful of UK-owned manufacturers of end of line stretchwrapping equipment for palletised and unpalletised goods. Orion offers a full range of automatic and semi-automatic systems, available either as stand-alone units or fully integrated into the production line. It has also diversified into materials handling, giving customers access to the complete offering for product movement and packaging prior to despatch.