Bühler built for ELANA S.A. bottle-grade PET pellet plant in Poland

HOME ARCHIV 2003 29.09.2003 Bühler built for ELANA S.A. bottle-grade PET pellet plant
 

DG PETCORE Frank Koelewijn: "I am concerned with the haste with which legislators in candidate countries scramble to impose laws just to meet EU requirements. They risk making costly mistakes. Instead, they should request fast moving consumer goods manufacturers to come up with a sound business plan for the collection of recyclable household waste such, that it meets local economic, social and cultural needs. It is so much easier to do things right in the first place, instead of having to repair a dysfunctional collection system."

Green-meadow site

The new PET-SSP plant, built on a green-meadow site, has impressive dimensions: The seven-level structure is 51 meters tall and has a footprint of 11 by 18 meters. In front of the PET manufacturing building are the elevator (lift), the stairwell, the energy supply areas, the control centre, and the silos for the raw materials and the finished products. The steel structure was entirely designed and constructed in Poland. Buhler supplied the complete mechanical equipment for the SSP line and the electric control system. This large contract also included installation supervision, customer personnel training, and start-up. The line went into production on schedule.

“Growing together” saves time

The main Buhler equipment arrived in Torun just in time for the start of construction. This allowed it to be installed without delay as building work progressed. At a height of 47 meters, Buhler started installing the process lines. The PET-SSP manufacturing line is controlled and operated through a system supplied by Siemens, including the raw material silos, the SSP line itself, and the finished product silos. The multi-section production line is controlled from the control centre. Each process section is divided into various machine groups consisting of motors, heaters, valves, etc. Data on temperatures, material levels, pressures, and air volumes – the entire operating state of the plant – can be called up whenever necessary. Authorized operating personnel can also modify and adjust it. Working hand in hand allowed the building and the Buhler production line to grow almost simultaneously. Not even the many different languages spoken by the Buhler installation crews and the customer’s personnel could slow down progress. Whether German, English, Polish, or Russian – the plant went on stream on schedule after a record time of nine months.

High tech training in Uzwil

The plant operators learned about Buhler technology and how to use Buhler equipment in the Group’s pilot plant in Uzwil. In several steps, the Polish operating crews were introduced to the individual process operations. This continued up to the point of continuous process operation, where the amorphous pellets are transformed into the crystalline end product. The reactions of the material with different machine settings and different temperature and air conditions were demonstrated on the equipment itself. Training was completed by final instruction on the company’s own installation in Torun by Buhler specialists. This carefully organized and customized operator training will ensure reliable operation of the large-scale facility in Torun.

Market knowledge as a competitive edge

The short guaranteed delivery time was one benefit Buhler offered to the customer. Another was its excellent knowledge of Eastern European markets. Vast experience in handling large-scale projects and intensive training of local customer personnel gave Buhler a crucial competitive edge in this promising market. After all, Buhler does not consider a contract completed when a plant goes on stream. This is a promise that customers around the world appreciate.

Contact:

Detlef Janssen, Corporate Communications,
Bühler AG, CH-9240 Uzwil, Switzerland
Telefon: +41 71 955 33 99
Telefax: +41 71 955 38 51
E-Mail: detlef.janssen@buhlergroup.com

For more detailed informations about SSP recycling method on this web portal look at:

• http://www.petrecycling.cz/buhler_btb.htm
• http://www.petrecycling.cz/buhler_btb2.htm
• http://www.petrecycling.cz/buhler_text.htm

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