Predictive obsolescence management plays an essential role in this, as the latest project of Gropper and Syntegon shows. In this interview, Claus Mayr, Deputy Department Manager Project Planning Filling and Packaging Technology at Gropper, and Helmut Weissenbach, Project Manager at Syntegon, share how they carried out line modernizations in a time- and cost-saving manner.
Technology suppliers sometimes remove system components from their portfolio. Manufacturers like Gropper then need to modernize their equipment to ensure that production does not come to a standstill. How did Gropper and Syntegon meet this challenge?
Weissenbach: modernizations are an integral part of our customers’ daily production operations. This was also the case at Gropper: through Schneider Electric (SE), the manufacturer of our filling machines’ control technology, we learned that certain components of control electronics of Syntegon filling machines will no longer be available as of 2024. Instead of biding our time, we immediately set out to find a modernization solution that would require as little time and material as possible – and thus ensure our customers would be reliably supplied with the relevant control components in the future. We knew that one line operated by Gropper would also be affected. As we had successfully modernized just such a line for a competitor shortly before, we were able to leverage our experience from this pilot project to implement the modernization at Gropper even more efficiently.
Mayr: this proactive approach suited us perfectly. We have been working with Syntegon for many years. The company knows our machines and requirements very well. So, it was a given for us that Syntegon would also take on the modernization of the ultra-clean eight-lane cup filling line in question.
The challenges: the modernization of the projects
Mr. Mayr, Gropper sells its products primarily in German discounters – an industry with high productivity pressure. What challenges do such modernization projects present you with?
Mayr: we produce in large quantities – each year, for example, we process almost 270 million liters of conventional milk and 81 million liters of organic milk. At our headquarters in Bissingen in northern Swabia, we operate seven cup lines, five bottle lines, and one gable top carton line. With the volumes required, we cannot afford long downtimes. In addition, we only have short time windows in the spring or fall to modernize our lines. We depend on efficient execution to get back into production as quickly as possible. Syntegon fully met our requirements: we not only completed the modernization of the first cup filling machine faster than planned. Along with the control technology, we were also able to overhaul the machine’s filler within the same time frame. In other words, time and financial savings went hand in hand.
Mr. Weissenbach, what exactly made the project so efficient?
Weissenbach: thanks to our pilot project in the dairy processing industry, we were able to draw on a wealth of experience to optimize the processes. The replacement of the control electronics and the overhaul of the dosing unit were carried out by skilled Syntegon experts. In just seven days, we had installed the new control system – and needed less time than initially planned. In fact, the modernization went so smoothly that Gropper did not need any additional production support from a programmer on the last day of the project. After commissioning, the cup filling line immediately achieved its usual output rate, so we were able to save ourselves an extra efficiency run. The subsequent count reduction test for germ determination in our test laboratories also proved that the germ reduction worked perfectly and in accordance with the ultra-clean filling requirements.
Mayr: with this project, we have set ourselves up for success in the future – in more ways than one: We have stocked up on control technology so that we can replace components quickly if necessary and keep production downtimes to a minimum. Our team was able to pick up a few tips and tricks in the course of the modernization. Moreover, our employees completed a one-day training following the modernization. In the future, we will be able to replace motors or controllers and carry out motor referencing ourselves.
These results are something to be proud of. Where do we go from here?
Mayr: the next step is the modernization of another filling line in Bissingen; by 2026, we intend to have converted all our machines to the new control technology with the active support of Syntegon. This will give us planning and production security for the years ahead. We will be able to meet the high production volumes needed from us in the future – so that Gropper products remain an integral part of discounters’ selections.
Info about Syntegon
Processing and packaging for a better life – this is what 5,800 Syntegon employees work for every day. Be it with individual machines, systems, or services, Syntegon helps its customers in the global pharmaceutical and food industries to improve people’s lives. The company, which is headquartered in Waiblingen, Germany, looks back on more than 160 years of experience and achieved annual sales of 1.4 billion EUR in 2021. In the pharma sector, the company’s intelligent solutions enable the safe and high-quality production, processing, filling, inspection, and packaging of liquid and solid pharmaceuticals. In the food industry, Syntegon’s flexible and reliable technologies produce and pack confectionery, dry food, frozen food, and dairy products. With 1,100 service experts and a comprehensive service portfolio throughout the entire machine lifecycle from spare parts management to digital line optimization, Syntegon lays the foundation for smooth production processes for all customers. More than 30 sites in almost 20 countries keep a firm eye on Syntegon’s impact on the environment and society. Syntegon is an important player in the development of sustainable packaging solutions, reduces the energy consumption of its machines and pursues ambitious goals to lower its emissions.
Info about Gropper
Gropper is a trade brand specialist and manufacturer of dairy products, direct juices and smoothies for commercial enterprises across Europe. Gropper is a family business that has stood for visionary action and proximity to the customer since 1929. What began with a cheese dairy more than 90 years ago is now a successful midsize enterprise with more than 900 employees. Trends were identified early on and the company consistently proved itself sustainable with new ideas and has grown into a midsize enterprise representing quality and innovation in the food industry today.