A Speedy Chemical Reaction For Monarch Chemicals!

We are delighted to announce our latest installation – a semi-automatic stretch wrapping machine for Kent-based firm Monarch Chemicals Ltd.

Monarch Chemicals are one of the UK’s largest independent chemical distributors, catering to a whole host of industries from cosmetics, agriculture, textiles, food and drink, cleaning and detergents, even paper and pulp. Monarch also offer an exceptional contract manufacturing service, precision blending liquid and powder chemicals to create complex and bespoke substances for any application, made possible by their extensive catalogue of raw materials. At the core of the business is a commitment to adopt sustainable solutions that minimise the impact of their industry on the planet – and their packaging is not overlooked in this goal.

We first met Monarch Chemicals at a packaging trade fair in September 2019 where they were searching for an automated stretch wrapping solution. At this point they were manually wrapping their pallets of bottled products by hand to ready them for dispatch. As demand for their products was increasing, Monarch Chemicals were looking for a machine that would achieve the increased output and efficiency they needed in their goods out department. Additionally, Monarch were looking for a solution that would reduce their overall film usage and film wastage as part of their drive to be more eco-friendly. We immediately recommended the Robopac Masterplat semi-automatic turntable machine exhibited on our stand because it suited their requirements perfectly.

The Masterplat standard turntable machine is designed to optimise the performance and capacity of each and every roll of stretch film. With an inbuilt height recognition sensor, the machine detects the precise dimensions of each pallet and distributes only the exact amount of film required for full and even coverage without waste. It also boasts an impressive power pre-stretch exertion force of 250% in order to wrap more pallets with each roll – far greater stretch than any operator manually handling the film could achieve. Both features contribute to a significant reduction in overall plastic film usage without any penalty to the performance or security of the wrapped pallets, helping Monarch reach their greener goals. With variable speeds of between 5-12 rotations per minute, the Masterplat allows Monarch Chemicals to tailor the output of the machine to match any fluctuations in demand.

Placing the order at the end of February 2020, Monarch Chemicals soon found their demand increase exponentially as Coronavirus struck the UK and consumers purchased chemical hygiene and cleaning products in droves. In response, we concentrated all our efforts to reduce the lead time on the order and install the machine in April, as well as deliver comprehensive operator training.

Gary Russon, operations manager at Monarch Chemicals Ltd said:

I have had our machine arrive on site today and it’s now operational. Your service engineer George was really good and gave the guys real thorough training with operating it, really impressed – top service. Thanks for all your assistance with getting this over the line for us.

Josh Gibson, sales director at YPS continued:

Working with Monarch Chemicals on their stretch wrapping project has been a pleasure. Like YPS, they are customer-centric and pride themselves on delivering the best service possible. So when the machine was needed rapidly to uphold their customer service levels in a challenging time, we pulled out all the stops to make this happen.