The latest version of the Sepia Casepacker from Het Packhuys has been running at VGK Cool Logistics for some time. These two Dutch companies officially sealed the deal for installing the complete line at the most recent Fruit Attraction. "For us, it's the next step in automating our processes," begins Marvin van Nieuwkerk of VGK, a logistics service provider which is part of the Kivits Logistics Group.
From left to right: Niels Janssen (J-TS), Pierre Hagenaars (Het Packhuys), Etienne Vennink (VGK), Jan Molenaar (Het Packhuys), Marvin van Nieuwkerk (VKG), and Twan Bergman (VGK)
"The collaboration came about after Het Packhuys contacted us in October 2022 asking if we wanted to test the Sepia. We had previously indicated that as a young company, we're open to being a test company for potential new projects. We're always looking for innovation.
"We were already looking to improve efficiency and automation. Het Packhuys had installed two topseal lines here a few years ago. That partnership was so successful that we've since expanded to five lines. So when they offered the Sepia, we quickly decided to get on board," says Marvin.
Het Packhuys, along with JT-S, developed the fully automatic casepacker in-house. The Sepia was presented to the public at its recent Open House Days. "However, we wanted to test the Sepia Casepacker operationally," explains Jan Molenaar from Het Packhuys. "We quickly reached out to VGK. They're the ideal partner for such a collaboration. They're not far away, have good people, and gave us constructive, useful criticism. It was a true partnership that's literally and figuratively borne fruit."
"During the past import season, we were top sealing with five grape lines non-stop. That was the perfect opportunity to test the Sepia prototype," Marvin adds. "It uses a gripper with suction cups to automatically place the topseal trays in the designated boxes or folding crates. With that same gripper, we can process display boxes, too. The case packer also closely matches the previously installed top seal machines. The machines are coordinated, which allows for streamlined producing."
Jan: "We have the technical knowledge in-house, and VGK specializes in product and packaging processes. Grapes are a challenging product, so they were an ideal test case. They're picked and placed in trays in their country of origin and then spend several weeks at sea heading to the Netherlands. Those trays could become damaged, or the journey could affect product quality."
"That makes grapes the perfect trial product to iron out initial issues and optimize the Sepia. It can now process other types of fruit, like strawberries, blueberries, and tomatoes, or mushrooms, problem-free. The Sepia Casepacker can process up to 110 trays per minute. The great advantage is that this machine places minimal stress on the topseal film. It only lightly suctions the trays before carefully placing them in the box," says Jan.
The partners are already looking ahead now that the Sepia Casepacker is running satisfactorily. "I'm glad we could take the next step with this. We'll undoubtedly expand our partnership for future projects. Partly thanks to VGK's feedback, we can consider rolling out the machine on a large scale to packers. Especially in these times of labor shortages, fully automatic lines are noticeably becoming increasingly interesting," Jan concludes.
For more information:
Jan Molenaar
Het Packhuys
19 Vang
4661 TX, Halsteren, NL
Tel: +31 (0) 166 700 215
info@het-packhuys.com
www.het-packhuys.com
Marvin van Nieuwkerk
VGK Cool Logistics
90B Selderijweg
2988 DG, Ridderkerk, NL
Tel: +31 (0) 883 251 580
marvin@vgkcoollogistics.nl
www.vgkcoollogistics.com