Aetna UK has won a contract to install the 3rd Robopac Spiror 400HP spiral stretch wrapper for Metal Technology at their site in Antrim, Northern Ireland.

One of the UK and Ireland's leading architectural aluminium systems companies, Metal Technology specialises in the innovative design and distribution of purpose designed fenestration systems, offering fabricators, developers and architects glazing solutions for modern window, door and curtain walling construction. Calvin Wilson, Metal Technology's sales director explained why they needed a 3rd Spiror. 'The two existing spiral stretch wrappers are working very well, but we are developing a new production factory next to our current facility and need additional capacity to meet the increase in demand and to ensure continuity in the packaging for all our products'.

'The stretch wrapper is equipped with all the features required to wrap aluminium without damage.

Features such as polyurethane drive rollers, automatic top pressure rollers, infeed and outfeed conveyors and automatic side roller adjustment, are ideal for a demanding duty cycle with random cross sectional pieces.

The 400 model can handle product groupings from 25mm to 300mm wide and from 20mm to 200mm tall without adjustment.

Minimum length 800mm, maximum length is infinite.

For larger sections, Robopac make 8 different ring sizes up to a maximum 2500mm.

A touch screen display and the ability to store 10 separate programs which can be recalled in seconds, comes as standard.

The Spiror 400HP is fully guarded to CE standard and has electronically variable conveyor and ring speeds to give optimum film overlap and linear speed.

Standard 250mm wide film can be used from 15 to 50 microns thick, both plain and printed.

Aetna's managing director Mark Tucker explains why the Spiror has become so popular.

'One big advantage that the Spiror gives all customers is that the use of stretch film is both cheap and highly effective in keeping the packs tight during transportation'.

'Transport 'fretting' has always proved a problem for boxed goods and previously, aluminium coaters and painters have used tissue paper and strapping, to try and deliver their products in pristine condition to the end user.' Added Tucker 'The Spiror has a maximum linear speed of 30 m per minute, which means that the time to wrap products quietly and safely has been dramatically reduced'.

'Stretch film holds the individual pieces so tightly that they cannot vibrate together'.

'Also because the load is spread over a larger area than, say plastic strapping, there is no risk of distortion and the end user benefits by having less packaging waste to dispose.' Aetna UK provides after sales service from their offices in Bedford.

They also use their own regionally based UK engineers and advisors to support their many customers and believe that their team, which has been in place for many years, is now the most experienced in the United Kingdom.

Aetna says that this is the area in which they have a serious advantage over their competitors and are confident that it is this level of service that has made them market leaders.