No crunch on cleaning

Adam Battrick, International product manager of UK based Meech International, says there are emerging trends in web cleaner sales that he believes are directly related to the current economic situation and the associated need to maintain a competitive edge.

“At a time of reduced expenditure throughout the converting sector, we’re actually experiencing an increase in demand from end users looking to retro-fit web cleaners on their lines. The conclusion we draw is that there’s a growing recognition of the importance of these systems in delivering a high quality end product and in saving costs by reducing levels of spoilage and waste. When these considerations are factored in, payback can be remarkably rapid.

“Simultaneously, we’re seeing a change in the type of cleaners being installed. In contact cleaning, particle transfer (‘tacky’) rollers continue to be widely used, but there’s a growing recognition that lower initial capital outlay is offset by the on-going high cost of consumables and in some cases speed restrictions. High energy costs are impacting on the popularity of compressed air powered systems, as end users continue to search for lower running costs.

“An increasingly popular alternative is our range of contact systems, which are very flexible, require no consumables, are extremely quiet in operation and – for narrow webs – require only a single phase power supply.”

This year, the Meech range will be extended to include a “revolutionary” non-contact system, which, he says, will address the growing emphasis specifiers are placing on equipment flexibility.

“In opting for a non-contact system, users are effectively future-proofing their web cleaning capabilities, in the sense that they are able to handle a virtually unlimited range of substrates, however sensitive,” affirms Adam Battrick.

Meech has almost five decades’ experience in electrostatic control, a central function of many web cleaning technologies. The company’s portfolio includes a number of web cleaning systems for use throughout the converting industry, accommodating a full range of web widths and applications as diverse as bag making to hologram production, to foams for the automotive sector.

To make web cleaning financially accessible, Meech is offering a ‘rent-to-buy option’ that enables customers to install a system for an agreed term at a “modest” monthly rental. At the end of the period, accrued rental payments can be put towards the purchase of the system, a further rental can be negotiated, or the system can be returned at no cost.