Lean powder handling solutions from Matcon

In today’s tough economic conditions, production efficiency is paramount for industry. To survive, companies need to reduce waste and cut costs without compromising quality.

All industries face unique challenges which can make these goals more difficult to achieve. In the process sector there is a demand to make smaller amounts of a wider array of products. In this environment, traditional processing solutions can be inefficient and wasteful.

Matcon provides systems based around portable containers – intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) – for batch powder processes, in various segments of the food industry.

“Clients implement our technology to improve quality, minimise lost product yield and reduce labour, as well as maintain flexibility for future growth and expansion,” said David Newell, business development director, Matcon Pacific.

“With substantial product development and revolutionary new offerings, the Matcon range of solutions is beyond anything you may know of us from the past.”

The core of what Matcon now offers the food industry is turnkey “modules” for formulation, mixing and packing. All of these modules have key focuses on fast product change-over, hygiene, simple installation and operator-friendly controls.

David Newell said: “The results for our clients are higher quality products and better use of manpower.”

Matcon recently ran a conference on Lean Manufacturing in Powder Processing, at the company headquarters in Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire, UK.

The program for each conference spanned two days and included academic presentations of current lean thinking as well as real solutions and case-studies for putting “lean” into practice in powder process manufacture.

Topics included:

• Manufacturing on demand

• Minimising work in progress

• Mixing without cleaning

• Practical manufacturing execution systems

• Efficient traceability

• Packing with total flexibility

• Maximising overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

Live full-scale powder demonstrations took place involving the latest IBC and related technology in sieving, dosing, mixing and packing.

The conference was attended by almost 40 powder processing manufacturers who travelled from the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia and mainland Europe, representing a wide variety of industries including food, pharmaceuticals, printing, ceramics, chemicals and adhesives.

Matcon was founded in 1980 in the UK, offering discharger valves for difficult materials in storage silos. In 1985 the company developed the Matcon Cone Valve IBC system, its breakthrough offering. In 1989 the company absorbed Bulk Unit Load Systems (BULS) and established a strong pharmaceutical business. The company has a network of offices worldwide, including in Australia, UK, US, Spain, China, Netherlands, France, Germany and Japan.

Contact: David Newell, Matcon – email dnewell@matcon.co.uk