SKANTRAE DOUBLES THE CAPACITY WITH A NEW PACKAGING LINE

After the installation of a new RoRo StretchPack® door packaging line from Tentoma to replace a heat shrink oven, Skantrae has doubled its packaging capacity. Overtime has been eliminated, while both the working environment and packaging quality have been improved. 

With a stock of 120.000 doors and an annual sale of more than 600.000 doors, Skantrae is one of the main distributors of doors in in the Netherlands. Skantrae is a Dutch distributor who recent years has had a growth in sales while it also has taken over some operations from a sister company. Annual growth in further processing of custom doors on 30-40% led to a capacity problem on the heat shrink packaging line.  

That was why operations manager Ruud Willemsen and production manager Peter Klomp, who are responsible for the packaging line, started up a project to find a way of optimizing the packaging. Peter Klomp tells: “At that time we could only pack 400 to 500 doors each day using the heat shrink tunnel, and that was not sufficient. 

We needed to pack about 800-900 doors each day, so capacity was the main reason why we were searching for a new packaging solution”. 

Ruud Williemsen continues: “Actually, we were looking for a new heat shrink oven. Then we came across the RoRo StretchPack® packaging solution from Tentoma, which we immediately could see was suitable for door packaging. We liked the idea of stretching the film to fit the door instead of applying too much film which we afterwards need to put through a heat shrink tunnel”. 

During the project, Skantrae had the chance to do other improvements in connection with the packaging line. Peter Klomp tells: “Previously each door was lifted by hand before packaging when mounting cardboard corner protection on the door. That was about 800 lifts each day. On the new packaging line from Tentoma we have a lifting table integrated into the infeed conveyor. When the door is placed on the conveyor, we just push a button to lift the door for mounting corner protection. The cardboard for corner protection was redesigned to fit the new packaging line. But actuality, that meant that we could reduce the number of different cardboard sizes from 12 to just 1 size.”  

“It was pleasant to work together with the technical staff at Tentoma”, Ruud Willemsen says. “In principle, we were just specifying an ordinary infeed conveyor, when somebody suggested that we should add lifting functionality into the conveyor to lift the doors. 

For us, it was clear that Tentoma is an engineering-driven company that is open to finding the right solution, which fits our needs. When I think on Tentoma it is with a positive feeling.” 

Bas Bosch, who deals with daily operations on the packaging line, confirms that he also has good experiences with technical support from Tentoma after the installation. “It is easy to contact the technical staff directly. If I send them a message with a technical question they usually reply within an hour. Initially, there were some commissioning problems, but Tentoma did some modifications which solved the problems. Every problem is taken seriously, and we have always found a solution. “ 

30% film savings and improved working environment 

Seven months after installation, Skantrae is ready to draw some conclusions from the investment in the new RoRo StretchPack door packaging line. 

Ruud Willemsen says, “I would estimate that the packaging output has increased with at least 50 to 60 % even with less labour. The old line did 60 doors per hour, and the new line packs for now 90 doors per hour, and we are still increasing that number. 

Now we do not have to work overtime in the evening and at the weekend anymore when we need to pack more than five hundred doors per day. “Peter Klomp continues:” To be honest we didn’t see the packaging quality as an issue on the old packaging line, but now when we compared with packaging from the new line, we are proud of the result. I would estimate that we have achieved film savings of 30% compared to our heat shrink solution.” Besides cost saving, this also reduces the carbon footprint of Skantrae, just like removing heat shrink from the packaging line does. 

Bas Bosch and his colleagues in the packaging department state that the new RoRo StretchPack® door packaging line has improved the working environment significantly. In particular, the lifting functionally has been well received, because the work is not so physically hard anymore. Also working next to a heat shrink oven on 160-170 degrees was not a pleasure especially not in the summertime, but that is, fortunately, history now. 

Related Articles

Cosmopack 2025: discovering excellence in the cosmetic supply chain

The highly anticipated Cosmopack event, the leading trade show for the cosmetic supply chain, is approaching. Organized in conjunction with Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna, Cosmopack will take place in Bologna from March 20 to 22, 2025. Industry leaders and key players attending the event will have the opportunity to explore the most innovative technologies and the

Beyond beauty: Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna unveils what’s new for the next edition

The leading B2B event for the cosmetics industry continues to grow. For the upcoming edition, scheduled from March 20 to 23, 2025, new projects and a more efficient reorganization of the exhibition spaces are underway. For the 2025 edition, Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna gets a makeover. Following the remarkable success of its previous edition, which welcomed

swop 2024 Concludes with Success, Paving the Way for Future Innovation in the Packaging Industry

Shanghai World of Packaging (swop) came to a successful close on November 20, 2024 in Shanghai, China, marking a remarkable conclusion to the annual grand show for the packaging industry in Asia. This year’s event stood out as a premier annual exhibition, highlighting a fresh vision and a deep alignment with the dynamic needs of the market. With a focus