Vinegar producer Burg Group has doubled the capacity of its palletiser by adding an extra infeed conveyor. The upgrade of this Qimarox palletiser was part of the relocation of a production line from Roosdaal (Belgium) to Heerhugowaard (Netherlands). The upgrade was carried out by QU&S.
Burg Group makes the world healthier, tastier and cleaner with natural vinegar and syrup. What started 75 years ago with a vinegar factory in Heerhugowaard, has today grown into an international company with production sites in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, the Czech Republic and the United States. With a focus on sustainability and innovation, Burg Group strives to continuously improve processes and minimise environmental impact.
Installation and maintenance
For over two decades, Qimarox Upgrading & Services (QU&S) has played an important role in Burg Group’s mission. The cooperation started in 2003 with the installation of the first Lowrunner palletiser at the production site in Heerhugowaard. Due to the need for more efficiency and expansion of production capacity, the first system was expanded in 2009 with two Highrunner palletisers. In 2021, QU&S further increased capacity in Heerhugowaard by moving a third Highrunner palletiser from its production site in Klundert to Heerhugowaard.
QU&S maintains the palletisers by checking the mechanics, electrics and controls annually, and repairing or replacing them if necessary. The result: minimal disruption and hardly any downtime. “This proactive approach to maintenance is the pledge we make to Burg Group and all other companies using our machines: that we will provide a reliable palletising solution and maximum productivity by minimising unwanted stoppages,” says Jasper Foppen of QU&S.
Relocation of production line
In January 2023, Burg Group knocked on QU&S’s door again. The company had decided to relocate an entire production line from Roosdaal to Heerhugowaard: a major project that required major rebuilding of the production hall. QU&S was commissioned to upgrade one of the three existing palletisers to make it suitable for integration into this production line.
The main issue was the capacity of the palletiser, which was not high enough to handle the extra products and stack them on pallets. QU&S therefore converted the machine and created a second infeed conveyor. Thanks to the double feed, capacity has more than doubled, from 14 to up to 35 trays per minute. This was not QU&S’s first conversion project for Burg Group.
Flexible arrangement
A major challenge was communication between the various parties involved in the relocation of the production line. As a result, despite the project team’s excellent preparation, Burg Group experienced start-up problems after commissioning in Heerhugowaard. Appropriate intervention by QU&S quickly fixed these problems. The end result was a successful upgrade for Burg Group.
Vincent den Engelsman, manager maintenance & engineering at Burg Group, said: “‘I like the fact that the QU&S mechanics know what they are doing and it is very convenient that you have one fixed contact person.”
For more information about Qimarox, please visit https://www.qimarox.com/