MSK has completed its first UK paper industry installation of one of its Flowtech shrinkwrapping systems, with the machine replacing a spiral stretchwrap line at Tullis Russell Paper Makers, Markinch.
The system was commissioned by an international team of English and German engineers.
MSK says the UK paper industry is seeing a growing move from spiral wrapping to shrinkwrapping due to tougher demands from customers, particularly as regards minimising transport damage.
The Flowtech is designed specifically for the paper industry. At Tullis Russell paper is compressed with a pressure of up to five tons, so air between sheets is “pressed out” for optimum loading stability.
“When wrapping our bulk paper using the spiral wrapper we had to strap it first to stabilise the load and then stretchwrap to protect against moisture ingress,” explains Tullis Russell Coated and Industrial Papers engineering manager John Tindal. “The Flowtech uses only one operation because it abolishes the need for strapping. The old spiral wrapper could handle up to 30 pallets/hour but normally ran around 20/hour. With other improved process improvements and increased tonnes from the cutters we now process around 40/hour.”
