Press Release July 2014
Storopack partner with Stanley Black & Decker
Storopack is partnering Stanley Black & Decker in Tessenderlo (Belgium) for its protective packaging needs. The distribution centre at this location has gradually taken over the entire shipping operation for customers in Benelux, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia. The Storopack process has ensured that the protective packaging solution has kept pace with changes in demand. "We have always met our productivity goals for protective packaging", explains Ludo Lantmeeters, Logistics & Facilities Sourcing Manager at Stanley Black & Decker. Since the summer in 2014, the average output has been 18,000 shipments per day.
The company's product portfolio of various tool brands, such as Stanley, Black & Decker, DeWalt and Facom, are stored in the Tessenderlo distribution centre. Goods are shipped to builders merchants and retailers as well as to logistics providers and regional distribution centres.
Around 90 percent of shipments use Storopack's AIRplus® Void air cushions as protective packaging. For this purpose, there are four inline workstations. Each workstation has one silo and one machine from the AIRplus Mini range, which fills the silo with air cushions from above. Workers can reach for ergonomically positioned air cushions and add them to the package containing the products to be shipped.
A sensor regulates air cushion supply. At the appropriate signal, the AIRplus Mini machine starts producing more air cushions. To refill the film roll, workers use a lifting system to lower the machine to their working height.
Adaptation since the start of operations in 2012
This protective packaging solution went into operation in 2012 and the design proved itself from day one, however the situation at the packing stations changed. Stanley Black & Decker pursued the goal of integrating activities from its Tongeren distribution centre into the Tessenderlo site. Storopack partnered the company in this process and adapted the protective packaging solution to suit.
Throughput at the inline workstations has increased from initially around 9,000 shipments/day (or 10,800 at times of high workload) to around 16,200 shipments/day currently (or 19,800 at times of high workload).
To achieve this, Storopack brought in a new generation of the AIRplus Mini machine range, with a capacity of 10 metres/minute of packaging material. In addition, the sensor was repositioned, so that the silos now have a higher fill level. This integration guarantees that even with increased demand, sufficient packaging material is always available.
Storopack also supported its customer with ideas for workflow organisation. This collaboration enabled workers to achieve a preparation time of around 15 seconds for each shipment.
The service provided to Stanley Black & Decker is based on the Storopack process. This means that Storopack undertakes consultancy and implementation of tailored, economical protective packaging solutions for its customer. Regular inspection means that any change in requirements can be identified, and this enables the necessary adjustments to be made. Storopack collaborates in its customer's continuous improvement process.
ENDS
Storopack is a specialist in the field of protective packaging. Its product portfolio encompasses both customised and flexible packaging systems and their integration into customer packaging processes. The services provided by the internationally active company group based in Metzingen (Germany) are performed by the two divisions Molding and Packaging.
The Packaging Division offers flexible protective packaging systems encompassing air cushions (AIRplus), paper pads (PAPERplus), PU-foam-in-place packaging systems (FOAMplus) and Loose Fill (PELASPAN and PELASPAN BIO) packaging materials. It supplies demand-driven equipment solutions covering everything from single workstations through to the design and implementation of packaging lines integrated into a company's intralogistics and equipped with manual, semi- and fully automated infeed packaging systems. Specialised application engineers
of Storopack ensure that the entire work flow takes place in keeping with economic and ergonomic principles (working comfort) in order to constantly improve the customers' protective packaging process. The Packaging Division is represented by locations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. The products are available through dealers in over 40 countries.
Storopack has been represented in England since 1987. Today, Storopack operates from one location in England and is located in Sheffield.
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