Always in control at the right time
The Compost Bag Company benefits from new Siemens control technology
Efficiency comes with insight. The Compost Bag Company, which supplies the world with compostable films and bags from the Belgian town of Herent, is well aware of this. Together with itsme Breemes the company selected two of its own production lines for the latest control technology from Siemens. That way it benefits from real-time monitoring for the right decisions time and again.
It is worth a lot, says Nils Kern. That feeling of lying in bed at night and thinking: today, I have contributed to a cleaner world. Nils thinks for a moment about how to formulate his words and follows this with a meaningful smile. “Let me say that a lot still goes wrong. And that it can’t go on like this if we want to pass on our world in the right way.”
And Nils means it. And with him also his colleagues at The Compost Bag Company, where Nils works as a production manager. Here in Herent, Belgium, they make their sustainable contribution wherever possible. Outside, there are several charging stations for electric cars. The only sewage water is that which disappears through the kitchen and the toilets. And the energy that is being used is also green.
“We can customise very easily”
Nils can give more examples, but what it all comes down to is: the philosophy of The Compost Bag Company is turning green. “How can we improve? More responsibly and more sustainably? We are working on it every day.”
The Compost Bag Company was once a producer of the classic plastic bag, but nowadays that is quite different. Only renewable raw materials, such as the oil from cardoon thistles, are being used, good for an annual production of nearly 2,500 tonnes of compostable and biodegradable bags and films. The vast majority of them go abroad, including to Scandinavia, Great Britain and neighbouring countries. And those who think that these are always the same organic products will be disappointed. Naturally, thickness, height and length have their limits, says Nils, but within those limits a lot is possible. “We hardly ever say no to a customer. Adjustments, prints: we can quickly get to work, custom made.”f
Metres up
How accurately all those compostable bags and films are made becomes evident in the production hall of The Compost Bag Company. The bio-granulate turns from granules into a viscous mass via blow extrusion. Once solidified, it flies up metres into the air as one long string after which it is cut and finally wrapped. It is a fascinating technique that must go as efficiently as possible. Nils: “In fact we don’t have any waste here, because we recycle rejected bags and films. But that is not really profitable. So we are constantly looking for ways to improve our processes. And we visualise them as well as possible.”
Control and insight, that is what Nils and his colleagues want. Yet, it turned out that for two of the seven production lines this wasn’t easy. Both lines had been around for a long time based on outdated and very user-unfriendly controllers. “That’s why we lacked control”, says Gunter Hendrickx, maintenance engineer at The Compost Bag Company. ”The lines worked, albeit without real-time monitoring. And that while we always want to take the right decisions by making timely adjustments.”
Fully up-to-date again
The best solution for the two outdated lines was not immediately obvious. For where to start? With that question Nils contacted Peter Daems, technical representative for Industrial Automation at itsme Breemes. Together, they looked at the needs and the options. And so, together with the other stakeholders within The Compost Bag Company, they came to the ultimate solution, based on the latest control technology from Siemens. A SIMATIC S7-1500 controller with HMI offers full insight, with the TIA Portal from Siemens as a versatile platform. The solution also includes a Pilz safety PLC as a powerful addition to both lines. Future-proof and advanced; according to Peter, the new controller forms a more than stable base. “The Compost Bag Company is a pioneer and fully innovative. The company does not stand still and wants to be up-to-date wherever possible. And according to me, that is the case with this solution.”
“You only miss something if you know it exists”
Just like Gunter, Nils looks back with satisfaction on the collaboration with itsme Breemes. “For us, the company is a supplier. But much more than that, it is a partner who thinks along with us, proposes options and realises the ultimate solution. That was also the case with this process, which once again proved that you only miss something if you know it exists. itsme Breemes took us along into the latest technology and were well aware that in our development as a company we cannot do everything ourselves. Ultimately, it is all about trust and the right expectations. For us, itsme Breemes did a good job on that.”
Space for the futureEvery year around 400 million compostable bags and foils leave the production hall of The Compost Bag Company in Herent, Belgium. The family business has around 35 employees and regularly offers space for students. The same goes for Thomas Cooreviets, who as a student of electromechanics contributed to the realization of the new control system. “A beautifully assignment, which for me was the completion of my bachelor's degree. Here at The Compost Bag Company, I have been given ample room and experience that there are always issues that require extra coordination. In this case, consider the temperature setting, for example. Or at the speed of the extruder. Much depends on proper consultation. So I called Breemes several times and of course discussed a lot with Nils and Gunter. An educational process for everyone. " |
Check out our other success stories:
-
TR Service - Future-proof low-voltage panelRead moreTR-Service provides industrial maintenance using all disciplines, from electrical and mechanical to hydraulic and pneumatic. With support from Breemes, the company installed a large low-voltage panel. ‘After discussing my summary plan with them, I decided to just do it,’ says director-owner Raoul Tielens. At Breemes' suggestion, the panel was future-proofed by preparing it for power monitoring.
-
Peeters - Young Company, New EquipmentRead moreSince its founding a few years ago, Peeters Robotic Solutions has been rapidly developing, working on projects both domestically and internationally and providing standard solutions for industrial palletizing. The company stays up to date with the latest technology, including Festo’s electrical and pneumatic drives. To achieve this, it relies on itsme. “Thanks to their expertise and skills, we can bring innovation to the forefront for our customers.”
-
Kusters - Putting weight behind itRead moreKusters was looking for a weighing solution for its banknote devaluation machines that was easy to integrate into the Siemens control system. Through itsme, they came into contact with the right knowledge carriers at Siemens. ‘For us as Kusters, itsme is not only a supplier but also a source of knowledge, with which we co-engineer certain components and process steps, such as this weighing system.’
-
Eneco - Green light for green electricity and steamRead moreEneco Bio Golden Raand, located in the port area of Delfzijl, converts biomass into green electricity and green steam. Each year, the plant processes approximately 300,000 tons of waste wood from the Netherlands and neighboring countries. As part of Eneco’s climate ambitions, a project began in 2022 to replace the existing fluorescent lighting in and around the boiler room. The project was carried out under the supervision of itsme. “Two factors were important in this process: the cost, of course, but also the level of service.”
Stay up to date with the latest news:
-
Schneider Electric - Modicon Edge I/O NTSRead moreModicon Edge I/O NTS, Schneider Electric’s latest IP20 distributed I/O system, is more than just an input/output system. It is designed to equip machine builders, system integrators, and industrial end-users with the tools they need to thrive in an increasingly data-driven digital world. The system's ability to aggregate and securely share data enables smarter decision-making and improved operational performance. With open Ethernet protocols for connectivity with a wide variety of devices and architectures, OPC UA technology for secure communication and interoperability, and built-in hardware cybersecurity, Modicon Edge I/O NTS helps ensure connectivity, performance, availability, and enhanced network security. Furthermore, the system complies with current cybersecurity regulations, enabling end-users to safely access and fully leverage their data — boosting industrial efficiency, flexibility, sustainability, and profitability.
-
Niedax - MTCRead moreThe Niedax MTC is a strong and stable click-on wire mesh tray available in various designs and shapes. Thanks to its unique integrated coupling system, the different sections can be quickly and easily clicked together.
-
Finder - Time Relay 80.01Read moreFinder introduces the new modular time relay 80.01.0.240.N000 in the 80 Series, now equipped with NFC technology. Thanks to this NFC feature, the time relay can be programmed via a smartphone using the Finder Toolbox app.
-
Eaton - New Generation XV100 and XV300 HMIs Cyber SecureRead moreEaton is preparing its XV100 and XV300 HMI series for the future by introducing a new generation of XV-102, XV-303, and XV-313 touch panels. The new models feature even faster processors and a new Linux-embedded operating system with advanced cybersecurity. The shape, mounting fit, and functions remain unchanged.
Take a look at these promotions:
Why not take a look at these trainings we offer:
-
WinCC-SCADA2Read moreavailable in Dutch
-
PCS7-SAFE V9Read moreavailable in Dutch
-
MIT-IQWORKSRead moreavailable in Dutch
-
PROFINET CPNERead moreavailable in Dutch