Case study: Sortco GmbH & Co. KG

Automation of a modern sorting plant for granular raw materials

Result 1

The controls of the various systems integrate seamlessly, resulting in efficient and smoother operation.

Result 2

The outdoor silos can communicate seamlessly with the various sorting systems through integration, thus ensuring effective material processing.

Result 3

The use of a monitored coupling station ensures that no material can be mixed up.

About Sortco GmbH & Co. KG

The Sortco GmbH & Co. KG is a provider of innovative sorting solutions for the plastics industry.

The company offers sorting services that are specially tailored to the individual needs of customers. Several sorting lines can identify impurities and defects in plastic pellets from 50µm and reliably separate them using optical, high-tech sorting systems. Dedusting and demetallization of the source material is also carried out.

The entire process, from the delivery of goods, sifting and sorting to customized filling, is highly automated and integrated.

Sortco thus opens up new application possibilities for its customers and helps to avoid expensive complaint costs. It also conserves resources and makes an active contribution to protecting the environment.

The company itself relies on energy-efficient technologies and materials to minimize its ecological footprint.

Industry

Innovative sorting solutions for plastics manufacturers

Location

Betriebsstätte Niederzissen Industriegebiet Brohtal-Ost Im Neissenacker 2 56651 Niederzissen

Employees

23

"The provision of customized sorting solutions with the highest degree of purity and quality also requires the highest precision in all processes and workflows. BSG's integrated control and automation solutions play a decisive role here and guarantee process reliability and flexibility."
Lars Ruttmann, Managing Partner
"As an PLC programmer, I have the privilege of bringing machines to life and ensuring the smooth operation of complex systems. Every line of code I write is like a puzzle piece that ultimately contributes to a perfectly synchronized facility. It's a fascinating and challenging task where I apply my technical expertise every day to enable innovation and efficiency."
Michael Wierz, PLC Programming
since 2002 at BSG
"I ensure that all wirings are properly connected. It makes me proud to know that our work contributes to making our client's production more efficient. In the workshop, I get to apply my practical skills while also learning about new technologies."
Benita Wollenberg, Electronics Technician
since 2022 at BSG
"We also face the challenge of skilled labor shortage and are constantly searching for new, suitable talents. To help you mitigate this challenge in the future, we automate and digitize our customers' productions. This ensures efficient production even in the absence of skilled labor. Unlocking sustainable growth potentials."
Rainer Merissen, CEO
since 1995 at BSG

Why Sortco came to BSG

A wide variety of sorting systems with conveyor technology

There are currently five different sorting plants with corresponding conveying routes for the material to be sorted to the sorting plant and for further processing and filling.

Contamination risk due to material flows

The complex material flows through several different processing stations always harbor the risk of contamination due to material mixing. Automated processes are a key success factor here.

Flexibility and expandability

Ongoing improvements and new tasks require easy expansion and optimization of existing control systems. For example, newly constructed outdoor silos were subsequently integrated into the existing automation system using a higher-level control system.

BSG and Sortco have made this possible

Automation of the sorting lines incl. conveyor technology

In 2021, the first three sorting lines were automated and put into operation. A further two lines followed in 2022. The associated conveyor technology (feeding stations, suction conveyors, storage containers, etc.) was also automated for all five lines. New control cabinets and operating panels with the ONEoperate operating system were supplied for this automation.

Integration of newly constructed outdoor silos plus monitored coupling station

In summer 2023, the new outdoor silos were then integrated into the existing control system. A higher-level control system was supplied and installed for this purpose. This integration allows the outdoor silos to communicate seamlessly with the various sorting systems, ensuring effective material processing.

In addition, the use of a monitored coupling station ensures that no material mix-ups occur and that the sorting systems are operated with the correct material.

ONEoperate as a control system

ONEoperate is an innovative solution that combines automation and user interface in a single concept. By concentrating on a central operating unit for the entire system, the handling of the system is greatly simplified.

A major advantage for the operator is that they can always use the same operating concept regardless of the different system setups. This allows the systems to be controlled and optimized more efficiently.

Außerdem kann der Bediener direkt am zentralen Punkt auf bestimmte Ereignisse reagieren. Dies führt zu einer erhöhten Austauschbarkeit und Flexibilität der Mitarbeiter und ermöglicht dem Betreiber diese an verschiedenen Anlagen einzusetzen.

In summary ...

The new plant with its five automated lines represents a significant step forward for Sortco. It enables efficient and contamination-free processing of various types of raw materials and contributes to increasing production capacity. The company is proud to be able to offer its customers even better services.

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