Bulk Distributor Jan/Feb20 | Page 17

Industrial Packaging January/February 2020 B ULK D ISTRIBUTOR Schütz wine IBC ‘good for Europe’ In the wine press house of the Kreutzenberger winery, the owner’s son, Jan Philipp – a trained vintner – works with the Schütz Wine-Store-Age IBC T he Schütz Wine-Store-Age IBC says it has successfully demonstrated that it is highly suitable for the European market. Following a number of practical tests conducted in Germany and Austria, the model is certified in accordance with the highest industrial standard for foods, FSSC 22000, has an EVOH permeation barrier that prevents oxygen, nitrogen and other Winegrower Jochen Kreutzenberger, of Kindenheim, in the German Palatinate, in front of the wine storage facility filled with fine wines from his vineyards Flexicon’s safety cage A new Bulk-Out model BFF bulk bag discharger from Flexicon features a steel safety cage to prevent contact with moving parts during operation and automated unloading of bulk bags. The enclosure features externally-mounted controls and full height doors with an intrinsically safe relay (ISR) that halts operation when the door is open. The discharger is equipped with top- mounted receiving cups and a removable bag- lifting frame for forklift loading of bulk bags. Z-Clip strap holders at the frame extremities allow rapid, secure insertion and removal of bag straps. A manual Spout-Lock clamp ring positioned atop a pneumatically-actuated Tele- Tube telescoping tube provides quick, dust-tight connections between the bag spout and hopper, and maintains downward tension on the spout as the bag empties to eliminate creases, folds or bulges that could hinder material flow. Additional flow promotion is afforded by Flow- Flexer bag activators that raise and lower opposite bottom sides of the bag at timed intervals, loosening compacted material and directing it into the discharge spout. As the bag lightens, the stroke of the bag activators increases, raising the bag bottom into a steep ‘V’ shape, while top- mounted Pop-Top extension devices elongate the entire bag, promoting total discharge with no manual intervention. The universal flanged outlet of the hopper The steel safety enclosure ceases operation of moving parts when safety interlocked doors are open allows connection of a rotary airlock or charging adapter to feed optional pneumatic or mechanical conveyors, or other downstream equipment. This unit is constructed of carbon steel with durable industrial finish, with stainless steel material contact surfaces, or in all-stainless steel finished to food, dairy or pharmaceutical standards. www.flexicon.co.uk 17 Guests at the opening of Schütz’s new Australia factory received an impression of ultra-modern IBC production gases from permeating in and out of the container. With a filling volume of up to 1,000 litres, the IBC can be used in many phases of wine production, for the storage of must to mash fermentation, for the maturation of fine wines, subsequent ripening, storage or simply for the transport of grape must, young wine or finished wine. Three years ago, these characteristics were confirmed in a series of tests conducted by experts from the Australian Wine Research Institute on Shiraz red that is extensively grown down under. Late last year, Schütz opened its new Australia factory with a festive programme that also featured traditional elements of Aboriginal culture. Some 100 guests, including numerous customers and suppliers as well as representatives from the media, came to the opening in Yatala, south of Brisbane. As well as good logistics connections, the 19,000 sqm site has state-of-the-art facilities for the production of new IBCs, IBC and drum reconditioning as well as high performance storage. The plant is an investment that will optimise supplies to customers in the eastern part of the country. www.schuetz.net