THE CUSTOMER

A global chemical manufacturer that produces large volumes of plastics and chemical materials worked together with a system integrator who coordinated with three specialized partners to install three fully automated packaging lines. Ancra's contribution specifically involved providing an automated truck loading system for each line, enhancing the efficiency and automation of the overall process.

THE CHALLENGES

Producing several thousand tons of special bulk plastics daily, the company faced the challenge of managing such massive output efficiently while maintaining seamless, continuous operations.

Given the high sensitivity of the products, which are vulnerable to damage from rough forklift handling and repeated reloading, ensuring transport stability became crucial.

To address these challenges and ensure a reliable, safer loading process, the company has chosen to automate the ending part of their packaging lines with four Ancra’s LoadRunner systems.

THE SOLUTIONS

To support the customer's need for a reliable and fully automated loading process, Ancra supplied three automatic LoadRunner systems—each integrated at the end of a packaging line for loading semi-trailers.

The LoadRunner system combines two advanced conveying technologies:

• A six-lane loading module that enables pressure-free, controlled pallet movement, preventing product damage during loading and unloading.
• A four-chain index conveyor system that smoothly transfers pallets from the packaging line to the trailer loading position.

The system handles pallets measuring 1,160 mm x 1,380 mm, oriented Short Side Leading (SSL), ensuring stable, secure transport alignment throughout the process.

A key advantage of the LoadRunner is that it requires only minimal trailer modification. By installing U-profiles on the trailer floor, the system eliminates the need for complex mechanical components—resulting in a streamlined, efficient, and low-maintenance solution.

RESULT AND IMPACT

By implementing Ancra’s LoadRunner system, the company achieved a maximum loading time of just six minutes from trailer docking to truck departure, during which twenty pallets of tubular film bags (FFS bags) are efficiently loaded. The system is also capable of loading closed trailers, further enhancing its versatility.

This integration of Ancra's automated loading systems was critical in achieving seamless, end-to-end automation of the company's packaging workflow—from bagging to palletizing and finally to truck loading. The successful implementation not only boosted productivity but also delivered a rapid return on investment, positioning the company for future growth and enhanced operational efficiency.