Sorema-Previero Installs Several Recycling Lines Remotely During the Pandemic

Plastics recycling machinery supplier Sorema-Previero has recently sold several turnkey lines to increase PET flakes production capacity in Latin America. These lines have an output range between 2,000 kg/h and 9,000kg/h of PET washed and re-granulated flakes, starting from post-consumer bottles collection.

The line for PET bottles includes the following sections: automatic feeding, prewashing, de-labeling, wet grinding, hot washing, rinsing with flotation and drying. Bottles and flakes detectors’ for material and for colors are also incorporated in the lines, all under a single Sorema supervisor system SCADA, for an efficient local and remote control.  

Sorema-Previero also offers the possibility to integrate in the line a wastewater treatment plant.

The company delivered the equipment to customers in early 2020, but due to the worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the following travel restrictions, it became impossible for Sorema to send its engineers to customers’ facility for the installation and the commissioning of the line.

Sorema reacted quickly, promptly allocating a specific team of skilled and experienced personnel, who developed a dedicated working program to remotely control all the installation activities of machineries and utilities connections at client sites. After that, all the installation components, no matter how complex, become accessible from PC and tablet without complications. 

Sorema says that the challenge was much higher since the problem did not concern a single machine, but an entire PET bottle recycling line, involving many machines, sensors, valves, pipes, pumps, dryers, etc., that must work properly all together.

Sorema managed to overcome this challenge thanks to high quality of Previero standards in machinery construction, with special reference to the factory pre-acceptance test, which includes the complete assembly of the line before shipment and a no-load test for most of the equipment, the company stated.

After a preparatory work, the customer managed to assemble and put in operation the complete Sorema washing plant, for the first time without the physical presence of Sorema’s engineers, but always supported every day with remote assistance, video conferences, telephone calls and e-mail by the specifically dedicated Sorema-Previero’s technical team.

The PET bottle-to-bottle washing and recycling lines experienced a smooth start-up. The lines managed to achieve the prefixed targets of product quality and quantity with the full satisfaction of the customer for the plant as well as for the partnership developed in such difficult times.

Sorema says this may become the standard system for commissioning of future Sorema washing systems.

“Based on our positive records, we will encourage our customers to take advantage of this modus operandi. It brings an appreciated reduction in costs for the client, in face of a slight increase in working days to finish the work. We reiterate that even in this new approach, carrying out the work exactly according to the instructions given, these lines are covered by the Sorema guarantee and by its proverbial prompt and effective after-sales assistance. Anyhow, it is always our duty to answer at customer doubts and offer him the maximum possible support,” the company stated.