Mosca help Board24 to future proof business...

Board24, manufacturer of corrugated packaging sheet board and boxes and part of the UK based Logson Group, has once again turned to Mosca for an additional Pallet Press for its Preston site, with a somewhat unusual requirement…

Logson Group operates across the UK as the parent brand of five businesses to offer a full-range of corrugated packaging: Board24, Boxes and Packaging, Cases24, Jardin Corrugated and Boxshop.  Board24 manufacture corrugated sheet board, which they supply palletised according to customer specification.

Due to business expansion in 2015, a new corrugator was installed at the site in Preston. The greater output this brought for Board24 required palletising equipment that could keep up with the increased levels of productivity.  They turned to Mosca who installed Preston’s first SoniXs strapping machine - a KCR-131 pallet strapper - that can strap up to 200 pallets per hour, along with the application of top-edge protection and labelling.  The significant investment in high quality machinery represented a positive move for Board24 and demonstrated its commitment to delivering the best quality products and service to existing and prospective customers.

Jump forward to 2017, with increased output and yet more business growth, Board24 approached Mosca for a second pallet press.  However, the requirement was not quite as straightforward as the first time.  The new pallet press required some inventive modification in order to make it future proof.   

THE CHALLENGE: 

Board24 required Mosca to supply and install an identical pallet press to the first system into a temporary location; this is because the proposed final location would not be ready for another eighteen months.  Sounds simple enough…however, the temporary location and final location are mirrored lines meaning product flow through the machine, operation of the top edge protection, application of labels, access for forklift trucks and machine operation all needed careful consideration.  Mosca’s engineers devised the perfect solution by programing the machine to operate in ‘reverse mode’ while it sits in its temporary position, allowing engineers to switch the operation back to ‘normal mode’ when they eventually re-commission the machine to its final position.

Eric Marshall, Operations Manager at Board24, commented on the machine and installation:   “We’ve worked with Mosca previously with huge success and have every confidence in Mosca machines, engineering and servicing.  For this installation, we challenged Mosca’s engineers by requesting the new pallet press be located in one position, with a view to moving it in the future, so we needed a reliable solution that allowed us to utilise it in two very different locations.  We are so impressed with the result, which will enable us to operate the machine in the ‘proper’ direction when we move it to its final position in the plant. In the meantime, it is delivering exactly what we wanted from it while it resides in its temporary home.  We also use Mosca’s strap and have a great relationship with their customer account managers who make sure we never run out of consumables. We would 100% recommend Mosca to anyone else in the industry and would use them again without hesitation.”

The second Mosca KCR-131-32 was installed and commissioned over the course of a week by three Mosca engineers in September 2017.   The pallet press with integral rollers is 3.2 metres wide, comes with three lances and two strapping heads.  One strapping head is fixed and one is movable to accommodate two different standardised pallet dimensions that Board24 regularly use.

In addition to the Pallet Press, Mosca supplied two further options: a KS750 unit, which allows for the automated operator-less application of top edge protection (to prevent indentation from the straps, which are applied with tension), and a BBK printing unit to automatically apply a printed label to the top-edge protection sheet with detailed information for transportation and warehousing purposes. 

Rob Toolen, Sales Manager at Mosca says: “Working with Board 24 over the past two years has been a real pleasure for Mosca UK.  With the initial installation, they challenged Mosca’s capabilities both technically and commercially, so when they came to us for a second system in 2017 it demonstrated a great deal of trust and commitment from them.  At Mosca we look to build strong, long term relationships with our customers and we are thrilled to be continuing on that path with Board24.”

Mosca strapping machines are used in a wide range of industries. The company's product portfolio ranges from entry-level semi-automatic machines, to fully automated high-speed systems. Mosca also manufactures conveyor systems and produces high quality PP, PET and PLA (Eco / Bio plastic) plastic strapping.   Mosca automated strapping machines are constructed using a modular design and fit easily into existing lines or as part of a new project. The top of the range German designed and manufactured machines and are available in the UK from Mosca Direct Ltd of Cotgrave, Nottingham.

Mosca Direct has an extensive team of UK based sales, service, engineering and customer service representatives, plus an emergency out-of-hours service.  For more information on Mosca machines, to order strap or spare parts, call 0115 989 0209 or visit the website at www.mosca.com/en-uk