“Machine output could be increased to up to 30 cycles per minute”

Project Service & Produktion Ltd focuses on sustainable banding 2.0: “Machine output could be increased to up to 30 cycles per minute”

Sustainable banding of food products has been rapidly gaining ground for several years. Accordingly, the PROBAND V banding machine from the German machine builder Project Service & Produktion Ltd in Kranenburg is not just a household name in the fruit and vegetable sector. Its banding solution with eco-option has established itself on the market in just a few years. Thus, the company is a supplier for renowned fruit and vegetable companies in Germany and internationally, more and more of which rely on the 100% recyclable paper banding PROGREEN.

In April this year, Project Service & Produktion presented the latest model at Fruit Logistica in Berlin. “For us, it’s all about offering farms a technologically advanced product, that is extremely powerful, but at the same time flexible, modular and user-friendly,” André Vois of Project Service & Produktion emphasizes. “These keywords apply even more to our latest model, the PROBAND V2000!”

MODULAR DESIGN ENABLES EFFICIENT FRAME CHANGEOVER

Vois alludes to the fact that the single machine’s cycle rate could be increased to up to 30 bandings per minute - always with ultrasonic welding. In addition, the fast threading and the pictogram-guided colour display, which makes operation easy for any user regardless of specific language skills, have been developed further as well. A “core feature”, according to Vois, is the modular design and flexibility in use: “A wide variety of PROGREEN paper bands as well as plastic bands can be used. In addition, our PROBAND V2000 can be easily modified and maintained. The frame can be changed in just a few seconds - and without any tools at all. And even after purchase, the PROBAND V can be equipped with different frames, parts or even TTP printers for new or additional tasks.”

‘COST-EFFICIENT ENTRY INTO NEW PRODUCT GROUP’

Agricultural businesses such as Abenhardt & Co., based in Datteln (NRW), have been swayed by the concept. The company uses both the PROBAND V 2000 and its predecessor model to band tons of vegetables every year. “The PROBAND V helps us to cost-effectively enter a new product group,” says Managing Director Carsten Abenhardt, summarizing the profitability of the process.

For decades, Abenhardt has been known primarily as an internationally-oriented family business, specializing in the cultivation as well as preparation, washing and packaging of carrots. In 2021, the company, which has so far focused exclusively on organic products, ventured into the new product group of courgettes. “However, the 2000 tons of these vegetables need to be professionally banded,” says Abenhardt. He adds: “The well-developed technology, good service and the PROGREEN option were the three main reasons why I not only chose Project Service & Produktion as my partner last year, but also brought in additional models of the new generation this season.”

The optimized process offers the company many concrete advantages in daily use, Abenhardt continues. “I particularly like the very simple threading of the band, the intelligent modular design of the machine, the control system and the practical menu navigation via pictograms.”

INCREASED DEMAND FOR AUTOMATION

There is also increasing demand for automation with the PROBAND V banding system. “We know all this perfectly well. After all, this has been our business for over 30 years. The PROBAND V can be very easily integrated into existing production lines, but of course individual, specific situations often come up. Be it a standardized automation solution or completely individually designed machines; we deliver both,” says Jan Hanenkamp, Managing Director of Project Service & Production.

Just recently, Hanenkamp’s team again delivered a customized automation system to a European customer. The machine was developed with three banding units. The vegetables enter the PROBAND V unit via a conveyor belt and are banded there, using PROGREEN, the ecological banding material from Project Service & Produktion. “The company, which focuses on the organic cultivation of vegetables, wanted to appear ecologically credible all around. That’s why it uses only our PROGREEN banding material, which is 100% recyclable,” André Vois explains.

For him, this is the packaging of the future, especially as it is to be expected that European legislation will sooner or later follow France’s lead. In this country, as of January 1, 2022, unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables – some sensitive varieties excluded - can no longer be sold in plastic packaging.

A.Vois@project-sp.de