How the Schwarzach Offset Printing Plant saves
70 000 truck kilometres per year with a new HSM baling press

International producers and suppliers in the consumer goods industry trust the know-how of the Schwarzach printing plant. This is not surprising: the company can look back at over 50 years‘ experience in the construction, printing, refining and processing of cardboard boxes and covers. To maintain sustainability into the future, the idea of environmental protection is anchored in the company’s operating methods. The company was already designated as climate-neutral in 2012 according to ClimatePartner and, since last year, has even been fossil-fuel free.

Sought-after material for recycling

A part of the company’s environmentally friendly philosophy includes returning the paper waste generated from the production of folding boxes and labels to the recycling loop. Unlike the options available with other types of printing, packaging materials cannot be reduced to simple, square shapes. First of all, adhesive flaps, dust and tuck-in flaps not to mention a variety of lid, base and closing designs all have to be separated from the rest of the sheet using punching dies. Even if optimum use is made of the sheet, there will always be waste paper. And quite a few sheets are lost in the set-up process during printing, finishing, sticking and additional processing. About 7500 t of waste paper and cardboard are generated each year.

The cardboard and paper waste is a sought-after material for recycling, since it contains a high percentage of virgin fibre. And since the long-established company only uses paints which are free of mineral oils and lacquers which are suitable for foodstuffs, the waste paper is also free of harmful substances. The waste material is taken directly from the machines and collected centrally. Before the new machine arrived, the company had been using container presses for the waste.

Even less volume to transport

With the new baling press, the aim was to further reduce the volume of material being transported for recycling and also to find a new purchaser. The system availability and the service reliability had to remain just as high and be just as dependable. In summary, the current situation was to be improved so that the benefit exceeded the costs – no easy task when the investment is about half a million Euros.

The HSM VK 7215 channel baling press was the machine to achieve these ambitious targets. The decisive reasons for its selection were, on the one hand, the technical characteristics as well as the proximity to HSM. On the other hand, a successful business arrangement already existed between the two companies. It was quickly obvious that the baling press with its high throughput of up to 498 m³/h was ideally suited to the requirements of the Schwarzach Offset Printing Plant. And since the machine has a frequency-controlled drive, it can save additional electricity and thus optimize the energy efficiency of the overall system.

Efficiency always pays off

The new HSM VK 7215 baling press is worth it. The press cylinder has a fully cardanic mounting which reduces the wear and tear on the press cylinder and the press ram guidance. Despite a few initial difficulties, it was quickly possible to determine the exact length of the bales. The staff benefit from the Castle-Lock door safety system which ensures a high level of operator safety in all walkthrough areas. The touch-panel enables easy operator control. The Schwarzach Offset Printing Plant uses a conveyor belt to load the machine. The most important thing is, however, that the volume of recyclable waste was reduced by two thirds - all due to the new technology. Moreover, thanks to the size and shape of the bales which are now easy to handle, the Offset Printing Plant found a new customer in the region who feeds the raw material directly back into the paper manufacturing process. Overall, the installation of the new machine and the reduced amount of material has saved up to 70 000 truck kilometres per year. The return on investment (ROI) is estimated to be in six years. Until then, the machine will be working six days per week.

Sustainable Milestone achieved

No doubt about it. The new HSM baling press is another important milestone in the extensive sustainability efforts of the packaging manufacturer. The increase in the energy efficiency levels will be resolutely followed up, the volume of the recyclable materials has been further reduced. The company in Schwarzach can rely not only on its new machine but also on its dependable partner nearby who offers expert advice and high-quality service. What more does the company need to be able to look happily and confidently into a sustainable future?

“Thanks to the new baling press, we can save a significant volume with regards to our waste paper. The fact that we could also acquire a new regional customer to buy the recyclable material made us even happier. The shorter distances will save us about 70 000 truck kilometres per year. And since the expert advice, high level of availability and high-quality service are an integral part of our partnership with HSM, we could not have been happier up to now,” summarizes Johannes Knapp, Managing Director, Offsetdruckerei Schwarzach GmbH.

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