Manucor fully relies on line upgrades

With Brückner Servtec staying on the path to a future-oriented plastics film production

Manucor SPA is one of Europe’s largest and most renowned BOPP film producers. At their southern Italian site at Sessa Aurunca they are operating four Brückner stretching lines since many years. Manucor is worldwide known for first class films for flexible packaging and label applications: e.g. white and cavitated films, high barrier metallized films, transparent/ultra-clear self-adhesive labels, films for wrap-around labels and many more.

For years Manucor has been continuously investing in the competitive edge of their lines. Some examples: Upgrade to 5-layer film production with twin-screw and cascade extruder, direct drive technology for optimal energy efficiency and film quality, upgrade to state-of-the-art line control system for higher line availability and efficiency, new winder tension control for highest winding quality.

In an interview with the industry journal “Orientate” Manucor CEO Luigi Scagliotto recently said that further upgrades are already being planned, with a strong focus on the topic of energy saving. His reasoning for this: “At Manucor we strongly believe that we should create and maintain the conditions under which we can co-exist with nature in harmony. Energy saving is a part of this conviction and thus, we have been investigating in energy saving technologies since more than 20 years – at our sites, production facilities and our machinery and equipment.”

A comprehensive upgrade for Manucor’s 10m wide BOPP film line is indeed in the hot planning phase. Brückner Servtec’s CEO Markus Gschwandtner says: „The line, which went into operation more than 20 years ago, caused a worldwide sensation in the industry at that time. And it is still running excellently. But of course, with today's technology, a lot can be done better, especially in terms of energy consumption.”

The following is planned:

• New twin-screw extrusion for a significantly lower energy consumption and even higher film quality
• New resin handling with highly precise gravimetric dosing to save valuable raw material
• Direct fluff dosing for “zero waste production”

The many years of cooperation between Manucor and Brückner Servtec impressively demonstrate how even older film stretching lines can not only retain their value through continuous service and sensible upgrades, but can also be made fit for today’s and tomorrow’s film applications. For Fritz Stempfer, Regional Sales Manager at Brückner Servtec, this is above all a matter of trust: “Such a long and successful cooperation only works on the basis of absolute mutual reliability. This applies not only to the companies, but above all to the individual personal relationships. And that's where it simply works between Manucor and us.”