Case study with video - Paul Reber (Confectionery)
How does the chocolate praline get into the carton?
The precise work of the SOMIC 424 DT cartoner makes it possible
“We had a very good cooperation from the first contact at a trade fair to the commissioning in our plant.”
(Quote from Reinhold Kaiser, Operations Manager at Reber)
Pre-packed cartons entering the SOMIC cartoner.
It all starts with finely tuned raw materials and a perfectly interlinked production process. These are the prerequisites for the production of genuine Reber Mozart Chocolates (Echte Reber Mozart-Kugeln®). However, to ensure that the specialty with the nougat and pistachio marzipan core in the fine chocolate shell can ultimately be found on supermarket shelves, it still needs shipping and presentation packaging. This is where the SOMIC 424 DT comes into play…
There is a hint of chocolate scent in the air - as soon as you open the doors to Paul Reber's production facility in Marzoll, a part of Bad Reichenhall. The company produces the genuine Reber Mozart Chocolates (Echte Reber Mozart-Kugeln®) in golden tin foil with a portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as well as many other fine chocolate specialties. They are produced at the highest technical level not far from the Austrian border. At the beginning of the production lines, liquid chocolate, marzipan and nougat await further composition to create the genuine Reber Mozart-Kugeln®. At the end of the production line, a SOMIC Case Packer is in action. The Mozart chocolates are transported to the SOMIC 424 DT in folding boxes with lids or as sideload packs. High productivity at the end of the line - at the packaging machine - is a success factor, as the production of the Mozart chocolates must run continuously. By investing in an end-of-line packaging machine, the previous manual cartoning activity at the end of the line could be automated. Reinhold Kaiser, Operations Manager at the plant in Bad Reichenhall, looks back on the decision-making process: “Whenever we decide to invest in a machine, we always focus on the specialists. And SOMIC is a specialist in the end-of-line packaging sector.”
Quality in nine different carton sizes
For the Paul Reber company, quality means that the genuine Reber Mozart Chocolates (Echte Reber Mozart-Kugeln®) are packed in their secondary packaging, grouped together in the outer carton to protect the product. Depending on the shipping unit, the SOMIC packaging machine packs up to 100 packs per minute into the cartons. The machine processes nine different carton sizes in either tray or cover tray format. The format range of the product for processing in the machine extends from 120 to 260 mm in length, 100 to 200 mm in width and 25 to 50 mm in height. The processed packs weigh between 100 and 400 grams.
With the classic format set, including a matching lamella chain, Paul Reber can set the desired product grouping for the defined carton for each packaging variant. “We were able to use the packaging machine in standard operation very quickly after commissioning: The employees, as well as the technicians and line managers, get on very well with the machine. The format changeovers work quickly and easily,” says Operations Manager Kaiser.
Increased stability of the cartons
Apart from the need for employees, SOMIC provided support with further optimizations in the packaging line, as Reber was able to rely on the packaging machine manufacturer's service for the design of the carton variants during project planning. “We previously used a classic RSC carton, which we sealed with wet adhesive strips - now we work with a flat blank,” explains Kaiser. There was no need to change the quality of the cardboard material - “we still use a so-called B flute.” However, by optimizing the new cut with the help of the SOMIC experts, Reber was able to reduce the amount of material used, resulting in considerable savings. With the new carton concept and the gluing in the wraparound carton, Paul Reber now achieves greater stability of the shipping cartons. Further savings are associated with the inkjet unit docked in the machine outfeed. “Previously, we labeled all our outer cartons after sealing, which contained all the necessary information for shipping and product identification. We have now solved this directly in the outfeed of the packaging machine with the help of the inkjet printer,” explains Kaiser. This has several advantages for production operations. Label printing: no longer necessary. No need to stick on the label. No need to dispose of the carrier tape. “We save several million labels in production with the combination of end-of-line packaging machine and direct printing unit,” says Kaiser.
After cartoning in the SOMIC packaging machine, the products are perfectly protected and ready for shipping.
Fast commissioning
SOMIC laid the foundation for rapid commissioning with the factory acceptance test procedure at their production site in Amerang. “The installation in our production line was completed within two weeks and we were able to go into standard operation immediately,” Kaiser looks back. Despite the pandemic, despite the more difficult conditions with masks, access controls and stricter hygiene measures, the installation worked perfectly from A to Z, right through to commissioning and production support. And what about ongoing operations? The packaging machine is currently being used in two-shift operation and is proving itself with its robust design. In terms of spare parts requirements, the DT 424 is therefore very good. It can stay that way,” says Kaiser. The operations manager also puts the target figure for operation on the table: “We are aiming for an efficiency level of 97 percent.” They are currently still a few percentage points below this, “but that has nothing to do with the SOMIC end-of-line packaging machine,” says Kaiser. Paul Reber's team receives data from the machine's control system, such as quantities, operating status, operating and conversion times or faults, and can use this data for overall planning. Kaiser sums up: “We had a very good collaboration from the first contact at a trade fair through to commissioning at our plant.” This gives us reason to further develop SOMIC in our company.” The SOMIC 424 DT impressively demonstrates how modern packaging technology seamlessly combines tradition and innovation.