Delivery system puts cap on bottle problem

FLC containers and a bottle cap delivery system have replaced a labour-intensive manual system, which necessitated removing small bags of caps from expendable one-trip packaging.

FLC containers from Linpac Materials Handling are playing a vital role in an innovative new Cap Delivery System developed by Lever Faberge.

The leading home and personal care product supplier is using a new high-speed air line to move plastic bottle caps around the bottling and packing line at its Port Sunlight factory where brands including Comfort, Vaporesse and Persil washing-up-liquid are made.

Lever Faberge's cap suppliers now deliver their products directly to Port Sunlight in the sturdy Linpac K975 containers which are stored in a warehouse adjacent to Lever Faberge's liquids production lines.

As new cap supplies are required by the factory, containers are taken to one of six parallel 'Tipping Stations' where they are secured within a hydraulic frame.

This tilts them to a 90 degree angle, decanting their contents into a hopper which feeds air lines developed by specialist company AirTran.

The caps are carried through ceiling-level pipes on a high-speed jet of air, which routes them to the appropriate production line.

The development replaces a labour-intensive manual system which necessitated removing small bags of caps from expendable one-trip packaging into large containers.

These were then delivered to Lever Faberge's lineside for manual feeding into the capping machines.

All that is required now is a forklift truck to move the containers from the warehouse a few hundred yards to the Tipping Station.

The new system has introduced huge cost savings, as well as improving hygiene and speed, as David Light, Lever Faberge's liquids technical manager explains: "With delivery of around 750 boxes of caps per week into our plant and an annual output of nearly 200 million bottled products, the quick and efficient supply of bottle caps to our lines plays a vital part in our production efficiency.

"The new system allows us to maintain high levels of hygiene and remove the potential for contamination and possible damage caused by manual handling.

Moving the caps at high speed over distances of up to 300m also gives us the flexibility to supply different cap types to different lines simultaneously." Lever Faberge also enjoy logistical, handling and storage benefits which are in turn passed on to their suppliers: "The fact that the containers can be stacked up to six high gives us extra warehouse capacity for incoming stock with less floor space occupied.

The boxes' viewing window and ticket holder means that their contents can be easily identified without them being opened.

"The K975 also allows suppliers' vehicle and warehouse utilisation to be improved." In-plant safety has also been dramatically improved, according to Lever Faberge health and safety manager, John Roberts: "The cap delivery system has made a significant impact on the appearance of the packaging hall.

As we now get automatic delivery of caps to all lines, the number of FLT movements in occupied areas has dropped dramatically - so much so that it is now unusual to see FLT's in the packaging hall.

I regard a Fork Lift Truck as three tonnes of trouble, so this development alone has had an immeasurable effect on making Lever Faberge's work environment safer.

"Using our previous system, our busiest line operators were responsible for emptying up to 300 bags of caps per shift, giving a risk of injury or repetitive strain.

This concern has now been completely removed and, as an added benefit, our lines are no longer crowded with cap boxes." Light concluded: "This development has been a great step forward in modernising our factory and has enabled us to bring about huge improvements to in-plant efficiency, health and safety and damage limitation.".

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