Berry Global eliminates static issues with Meech’s Hyperion products

In 2014, to maintain and improve health and safety and efficiency in production, the company invested in Meech’s Hyperion 929IPS and 971IPS pulsed DC ionizing bars. 

After experiencing static charge build up on bulk packaging equipment and being aware of the negative effects that it can have on safety, cleanliness and production, Berry Global recognized the need for an effective anti-static system. 

Michael Hunt, environmental health and safety coordinator at Berry Global, explained: ‘In our injection molding process, products are processed through various forms of packaging, including plastic containers and corrugated gaylords. We found that, in cooler months, static on some of the products became an ongoing issue.’

The company enlisted Meech Static Eliminators to address the problem – the Hyperion 929IPS and 971IPS bars were installed 12-14 inches above the containers in these collection areas, where food-grade caps and containers are collected and packaged. 

Hunt continued: ‘We secured the static bars above the containers with P-Chain, so they were not ridged and wouldn’t cause injury to our employees. We take health and safety very seriously so we also made the decision to standardize the Meech Hyperion bars across all bulk equipment, even if a hazard was not reported. The products work especially well for our injection molding operations.’

Meech’s Hyperion range contains industrialized static control products including anti-static bars and power supplies. The 929IPS Pulsed DC Ionising Bar provides powerful mid-range ionisation, whereas the long-range 971IPS Pulsed DC Ionising Bar has an integrated Power Supply (IPS), making it the most powerful bar in this range. Both bars feature Meech’s Ion Current Monitoring (ICM) technology, which ensures performance is maintained by providing local and remote alerts to operators whenever the bar needs cleaning.

According to Hunt, the positive change since the installation has been substantial. ‘Meech’s products were very easy to order and install, and we are delighted that our static issue has been completely eliminated. Safety concerns have been resolved, and Meech integrated the bars seamlessly into our production lines so that the machinery operation was not affected in any way.’