The Hoyer Group this month added a modern semi-automatic cleaning facility for intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) to its Mannheim, Germany, site, the company said. The facility allows Hoyer to increase efficiency and shorten IBC throughput times during the cleaning process, resulting in optimized fleet utilization, better plannability, and faster provision of stainless-steel containers, which are in high demand.
“Through this investment, we further strengthen the cleaning network of the Hoyer Group,” Marlen Blechschmidt, director IBC Logistics, said in a news release. “We will continue to grow our IBC business. With our network of workshops, depots, and cleaning facilities through our Cotac subsidiary, we offer reliable full service from a single source.
“This enables us to serve our major customers in the chemical, cosmetics and food industries even more efficiently.”
The new plant primarily is designed to clean chemical and cosmetic products but also can perform certified cleaning operations for food products, including kosher, Hoyer added. Due to the state-of-the-art plant’s compatibility, the wide range of different types of IBCs in the company’s portfolio won’t pose a problem. Internal and external cleaning are automated in accordance with industrial and certified standards, and disinfection by steam also is possible.
When commissioning the facility, the logistics company attached particular importance to an energy-efficient, resource-saving cleaning process. “This IBC cleaning system increases our processing capacity by 30%—with the same number of staff,” said Jens Enskat, managing director for Cotac, which offers globally uniform standards for tank cleaning, repair, and depot services from 12 locations in Europe, Asia, and the U.S.
“It makes our colleagues’ daily work easier and gives our customers even greater planning security.”