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Have you ever wondered what the Versa Pak manufacturing process looks like from start to finish? Watch the video below as Versa Pak Quality Technician Keith Koverman walks you through the process, starting with pellets to shipping.
From Polyethylene Pellet to Plant
Versa Pak’s pelletized resins arrive at our manufacturing plant in Celina, Ohio, by rail car. From the car, the resins are pumped into one of our 34 silos on site. After the material is received in the silo, it’s pumped into the building via a pipe system behind the lines.
The material comes in, goes through a blender and is then moved into the extruder. In the extruder, the resins are heated up — ranging from 350 to 420 degrees, depending on the type of material and the type of application. The material flows through the extruder, eventually getting to a molten state. Once it reaches this point, the material is moved to the die machine and eventually creates a bubble formed by the liquified material.
As air moves in the bubble, the material starts to cool. The higher the bubble goes, the cooler the material.
The Coolant Process
The five-layer co-ex line machine sits on the third story of the manufacturing plant. This machine controls the line speed and gauge. Once the material gets to this machine, it is cool enough where it will not stick to itself. This machine is at the highest point of our manufacturing facility, and from here, the material goes back down to the ground floor to be put on the core.
“All of our film is customer-specific and made-to-order,” Koverman noted.
One option he showcased was different additives, such as color options and protective additives for films, that are stored throughout the plant.
Packaging Versa Pak’s Custom Products
Versa Pak’s products can be packaged in different ways, depending on the customer’s order.
Koverman demonstrated bags on a roll. The operator took the roll of the line and wrapped it to keep dust and debris off the product, and then added a core label on the outside for identification. To secure the roll for transportation, the operator put a core plug on each end of the roll. The roll was then moved to a pallet to securely hold the roll.
“We can do as many pallets as we feel would be safe for our operator and for the end-user,” Koverman added.
Ready to Ship to the Customer
Versa Pak’s products are securely stored on racks until they’re ready to ship. Every day, the shipping department will receive a list of the product ready to ship, and they will pull the product from the racks, stage it for shipping and send out the material for customers. Because Versa Pak has a large warehouse space at our manufacturing plant, we can accommodate large orders.
“An order can be as big as the customer wants it, and we can make sure we have enough space to accommodate that order and be able to store it at our facility before it ships to theirs,” Koverman said.
Contact Versa Pak With Questions on Poly Bag or Sheeting Needs
For distributors looking to place an order or to answer any questions about a potential order, contact Versa Pak’s customer service department.