As a global player in the field of waste processing systems, Bollegraaf Recycling Solutions is currently experiencing strong growth. With the creation of turnkey total solutions, the company is a front runner in this sector and reports to have a market share of over 50% worldwide. In order to maintain and further develop that leading position, the company is constantly working on the development of new solutions and continues to invest in process optimization. Investing in state-of-the-art production technologies such as welding robotization play an important role here to be able to produce efficiently and competitively. "The welding robot can make the difference," according to CEO Edmund Tenfelde.
Bollegraaf's waste processing systems are used worldwide for recycling waste into reusable raw materials. Bollegraaf builds the hardware such as sorting systems, transport systems and balers, as well as the software to be able to monitor and manage the entire recycling process remotely.
Until a few years ago, the focus was on the construction of machines, with the baler as the key component. Tenfelde: “With our know-how and more than 56 years of experience in this industry, we are able to deliver total solutions, including process monitoring systems. That is why we have shifted the focus toward Total Solutions, which enable us to offer vertical integration to our customers and, hence, do more for them,” explains Edmund Tenfelde. “Part of these market players want to establish themselves as a supplier of raw materials instead of a waste processor. We can supply the systems for that."
Bollegraaf has been using robots for welding and bending for over 10 years. Valk Welding supplied a large system on which the complete frames for Bollegraaf balers are welded. Subparts are welded by a welding robot on an E-frame. “The welding robots make it possible to produce cost-efficiently. Mainly due to the strong reduction of the total welding time of the complete frames. But the fact that welding quality is high and constant also plays a crucial role in the quality of our products that are known to be robust,” emphasizes Edmund Tenfelde.
By investing more in people and training, standardization and re-design of subgroups, the company wants to further improve efficiency in regard to welding robotisation. "We want to squeeze everything out of it," says CEO Edmund Tenfelde. “If we want to achieve growth and maintain competitive advantage, the utilization of the welding robots will go up even more. This means that we have to train additional employees to be able to operate and program the robot installations as well. For this purpose, we gratefully make use of the training options that Valk Welding provides at its Technical Center in Alblasserdam.”
Bollegraaf's waste processing systems make it possible to sort plastic, paper, cardboard and cans, as long as they are not contaminated by organic waste, and process these into bales of reusable material. “Worldwide much is still sorted manually. In order to improve both safety, as well as living and working conditions, we developed a sorting robot. It is now operational. With the help of vision systems, various materials are removed or blown out at the molecular level. This means that the no-people plant is gradually becoming a reality and we are making an important contribution to the circular economy,” concludes Edmund Tenfelde. www.bollegraaf.com
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