EVANSVILLE, IN—In 2014, to maintain and improve health and safety and efficiency in production, Berry Global invested in Meech’s Hyperion 929IPS and 971IPS pulsed DC ionizing bars. After experiencing static charge buildup on bulk packaging equipment and being aware of the negative effects that it can have on safety, cleanliness and production, Berry Global recognized the need for an effective anti-static solution.
Michael Hunt, environmental health and safety coordinator at Berry Global, explains: “In our injection molding process, products are processed through various forms of packaging, including plastic containers and corrugated gaylords. We found that, in cooler months, static on some of the products became an ongoing issue.”
The company enlisted Meech Static Eliminators to address the problem—the Hyperion 929IPS and 971IPS bars were installed 12-14 inches above the containers in these collection areas, where food-grade caps and containers are collected and packaged.
Hunt continues: “We secured the static bars above the containers with P-Chain, so they were not ridged and wouldn’t cause injury to our employees. We take health and safety very seriously so we also made the decision to standardize the Meech Hyperion bars across all bulk equipment, even if a hazard was not reported. The products work especially well for our injection molding operations.”
Meech’s Hyperion range contains industrialized static control products including anti-static bars and power supplies. The 929IPS Pulsed DC Ionizing Bar provides powerful mid-range ionization, whereas the long-range 971IPS Pulsed DC Ionizing Bar has an integrated Power Supply (IPS). Both bars feature Meech’s Ion Current Monitoring (ICM) technology, which ensures performance is maintained by providing local and remote alerts to operators whenever the bar needs cleaning.
According to Hunt, the positive change since the installation has been substantial. “Meech’s products were very easy to order and install, and we are delighted that our static issue has been completely eliminated. Safety concerns have been resolved, and Meech integrated the bars seamlessly into our production lines so that the machinery operation was not affected in any way.”
Matt Fyffe at Meech Static Eliminators USA comments: “Berry Global’s dedication to the safety of its employees and to the quality of the plastic packaging it produces is what led them to seek out the best static control solution on the market for their specific needs. Meech’s mission is to ‘design and manufacture innovative solutions to optimize our customers’ productivity’ and we are delighted to have been able to provide Berry Global with the solution that was right for them. We are still working with them to ensure they get the very best results and we look forward to continuing our partnership.”
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