PETROKEMIJA D.D. is the biggest fertilizer producer in Croatia and one of the biggest in South-East Europe. The company has its headquarters in Kutina where they have been producing fertilizer for half a century. With an annual capacity of 1.35 million tons, PETROKEMIJA is a significant player in the development of the Croatian economy. Petrokemija produces mineral fertilizers using natural mineral raw materials, natural gas, atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen. Based on these technological processes, basic chemicals and then mineral fertilizers are produced from these raw materials.
The new investment had a dual objective: to meet the growing production demand and to improve operator ergonomics and safety. On a technical level, it was necessary to fit the Big Bag filling station in the current facilities in addition to reaching the required bagging capacity of 40 ton/h, always observing the strict safety regulations at PETROKEMIJA.
The final project had two Big Bag lines, including each of them: MCB+ weighing controller, Big Bag filling station, together with the complete conveying line to store the filled Big Bags before truck or train loading.
Production capacity
The output in production was improved. Depending on type of product and Big-Bag, the new output spans from 40 t/h to 50 t/h.
Abrasive products
The products to be bagged had specific properties that needed to be considered; they all had abrasive, corrosive and hygroscopic characteristics. Therefore, all parts of the Big Bag filling machine in contact with the products to be bagged were manufactured from AISI-304 stainless steel.
Weighing accuracy
Despite that the line is running faster now, the bag weight accuracy has improved. The average deviation is less than 1% of the total weight. The MCB+ weighing controller, developed in-house at PAYPER, ensures maximum weighing accuracy even at high bagging speeds.
Ergonomics and safety
All operations are done by a simple programme selection on the touch screen whether it is for a fast bag size switch or for a product changeover. Safety measures guarantee a smooth operation in the filling zone and an effective and safe work operation. The access walkway makes it easy to place the Big Bag, while safety railings, an access ladder, and a removable tray make it easier to hang and secure the Big Bag to the feed inlet.
As a result, PETROKEMIJA’s new Big Bag filling lines have allowed them to increase production capacity, minimize weighing deviations, produce more stable filled Big Bags for shipping, and reduce safety risks for their operators.
PAYPER’s engagement in looking for the right configuration and not trying to implement a standard solution was the key to a successful partnership. PAYPER came to Kutnia several times to meet with our technicians, and together, we found the optimum solution. Their expertise in bagging solutions was necessary to design and build a cost-efficient solution for us. There is no doubt that the early involvement of experts is the key to success.
